Subtraction with Borrowing Worksheets and Answers
Make subtraction practice that focuses on borrowing, also called regrouping. This preset combines subtraction practice with room to work. Open it in the studio to change the number size, turn on a worked example and print an answer key.
Gets lost borrowing
1Subtraction math.subtraction.borrow
- Write the bigger number on top, units lined up.
- Start with the units: 7 − 7 = 0.
- Work left through the columns. Any column you borrowed from is now one less.
312 - 215
643 - 408
566 - 118
972 - 969
741 - 647
774 - 191
278 - 139
709 - 338
379 - 194
492 - 137
762 - 517
974 - 368
2Missing Number math.algebraicThinking
- A missing number is found by doing the opposite operation.
- The opposite of subtracting is adding, so work backwards from 42.
- Check it by putting your answer back into the original sum.
How to do these
- Write the bigger number on top, units lined up.
- Start with the units: 7 − 7 = 0.
- Work left through the columns. Any column you borrowed from is now one less.
Written for whoever is helping, not for the child. Maths methods have changed since most of us were at school, and this is the method the questions above actually use.
What you can change
| Setting | Options |
|---|---|
| Digits per number | 1 to 5 |
| Max value (0 = use digits) | 0 to 9999 |
| Borrowing | Allow · Require · Avoid |
| Layout | Vertical (stacked) · Horizontal (in a row) |
| Questions | as few or as many as fit |
Plus text size, line spacing, questions per page and boxed digit columns if writing is hard.
How borrowing works: 412 − 108
Line up the hundreds, tens and ones. In the ones column, 2 is smaller than 8. Exchange the one ten for ten ones: the tens digit becomes 0 and the ones become 12. Now subtract 12 − 8 = 4, then 0 − 0 = 0, then 4 − 1 = 3. The answer is 304.
Check by adding: 304 + 108 = 412. In the studio, Show me how adds a worked example to the worksheet so the method is available while practising.
What to check when a child gets stuck
Check that place values are aligned before checking arithmetic. When a ten is exchanged, mark the changed digit so it is not used at its old value in the next column.
If the child subtracts the smaller digit from the larger digit regardless of position, pause and read the calculation from the top number: 2 ones cannot give away 8 ones without an exchange. Use a few problems at a time and ask the child to explain one step.
Make the practice easier or more challenging
Begin with two-digit problems and a small question count. Increase the number of digits when the layout and exchange are familiar. Use boxed digit columns or larger spacing if keeping numbers aligned is the main difficulty.
Borrowing across a zero requires an extra exchange from the next nonzero column. This preset is general borrowing practice; it does not promise a zero in every problem. Check the preview before choosing it for that specific lesson.
Print the worksheet and its answer key
Open the preset, choose the answer-key option and inspect the preview. Use Print / PDF for the worksheet and the separate answer-key control when needed. To practise again, choose New numbers in the studio while keeping your settings.