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Understanding Subtraction Concepts

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Understanding Subtraction Concepts

Subtraction concepts illustration

🧮 Part 1: Subtraction Vocabulary and Concepts

1. In the subtraction sentence 20 - 8 = 12, what is the correct name for each part?

20 is called the ____________

8 is called the ____________

12 is called the ____________

2. Circle the correct answer: Addition and subtraction are ____________ operations.

opposite

inverse

similar

identical

3. Sarah had 35 stickers. She gave 12 to her brother. How many stickers does Sarah have left?

Write the subtraction sentence: _____ - _____ = _____

Write the related addition sentence: _____ + _____ = _____

4. Which of these situations would use subtraction? (Tick all that apply)

Finding how much money you have left after buying something

Counting how many people joined a group

Working out how many biscuits are left in a packet

Calculating the difference between two temperatures

🔢 Part 2: Finding Unknown Values

5. Use the inverse operation to find the missing numbers:

a) _____ - 15 = 23

b) 42 - _____ = 18

c) 67 - 29 = _____

6. A zoo had 84 animals. After moving some animals to another zoo, there were 56 animals left. How many animals were moved?
7. Complete the fact family for these numbers: 9, 17, 26

_____ + _____ = _____

_____ + _____ = _____

_____ - _____ = _____

_____ - _____ = _____

📊 Part 3: Problem Solving and Modelling

8. Draw a part-part-whole model for this problem: "There were 48 students on a school bus. 19 students got off at the first stop. How many students are still on the bus?"

Answer: _____ students

9. The temperature was 28°C in the morning. By evening, it had dropped to 19°C. What was the temperature difference?
10. Explain in your own words why knowing that addition and subtraction are inverse operations is helpful when solving maths problems.

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