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Subtraction Detective Mystery

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Subtraction Detective Mystery

Subtraction Detective Mystery

Detective with magnifying glass solving math problems

🔍 Part 1: Detective Training - Subtraction with Regrouping

1. Solve this subtraction problem using the vertical-column method. Show your regrouping work:

435 - 278 = ________

2. The thief stole some gold coins from the treasure chest. There were 562 coins originally, and now only 294 remain. How many coins were stolen?

Answer: ________ coins were stolen

3. Detective Sarah had 803 clues to investigate. She has already solved 456 clues. How many clues does she still need to solve?

Answer: ________ clues remaining

🕵️ Part 2: Mystery Clue Solving

4. Circle the correct answer for this subtraction problem: 724 - 385 = ?

339

349

439

341

5. Which of these subtraction problems require regrouping? Check all that apply:

456 - 123

532 - 248

789 - 456

654 - 321

6. The detective found footprints that were 152 centimetres apart. After measuring more carefully, she discovered they were actually only 87 centimetres apart. What was the difference in her measurements?

Difference: ________ centimetres

🗺️ Part 3: Following the Detective Map

7. Complete these detective vocabulary sentences by filling in the blanks:

When we don't have enough in a column to subtract, we need to ____________ from the next column.

Another word for borrowing in subtraction is ____________.

The answer to a subtraction problem is called the ____________.

8. Match each subtraction problem with its correct answer:
1. 600 - 234
2. 501 - 167
3. 800 - 456
4. 702 - 285
A. 344
B. 366
C. 334
D. 417

🎯 Part 4: Solving the Final Mystery

9. The master detective challenge! Solve this three-digit subtraction problem and show all your working:

1000 - 567 = ________

10. Draw a picture to show how regrouping works in subtraction. Use the problem 42 - 18 as your example:
11. Explain in your own words how you know when you need to regroup in a subtraction problem:
12. Detective Challenge: Create your own subtraction word problem that requires regrouping. Make it about solving a mystery!

🏆 Part 5: Detective Reflection

13. Which subtraction method do you prefer and why?

Horizontal method (writing numbers in a line)

Vertical-column method (stacking numbers)

14. Explain your choice:
15. Write one sentence using subtraction vocabulary (borrow, regroup, difference) to describe a problem you solved today:

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