Subtracting Single Digits

Joyful Mathematics 2 — Grouping and Sharing. Take-away stories with marbles and tiffins in Grouping and Sharing use subtraction within 20.

• To take away a single-digit number from another (within 20).
• Subtraction means "how many left?"
• To use fingers, number line, or counting back.

Verbal: Take away means start with the bigger number and count back — 9 minus 4: count 8, 7, 6, 5.

Symbolic: 9 − 4 = 5. Partner fact: 4 + 5 = 9 — addition and subtraction undo each other.

Level 1 — Subtraction vocabulary

Minuend − Subtrahend = Difference Example: 9 − 4 = 5 (9 take away 4 leaves 5)

Level 1 — Counting back

Start at 9, go back 4 steps: 8, 7, 6, 5 → answer 5.

Level 1 — Number bonds

If 4 + 5 = 9, then 9 − 4 = 5 (addition and subtraction are partners).

Level 2 — Zero

Any number minus 0 stays the same: 7 − 0 = 7.

Level 2 — Same number

8 − 8 = 0 (nothing left).

Indian real life

Connect this idea to your daily routine at home, school, or the local market in India.

Arjun has 9 marbles. He gives 4 to his sister. How many left?

Step 1 — Start: 9 marbles
Step 2 — Take away 4: 9 − 4
Step 3 — Count back or use bonds: 9 − 4 = 5
Answer: 5 marbles left

• 10 − 6 = ?
• 7 − 7 = ?
• Meera had 8 stickers, lost 3. How many now?

Stretch: Meera had 15 crayons and gave away 6. Write the subtraction sentence and answer.

Revision tip: Hold up fingers for the start number, fold down the amount taken away — what is left is your answer.

Open the Practice tab for graded questions on Subtracting Single Digits.