Solved Exercises on Subtraction Word Problems Examples in 1st Grade

Master subtraction word problems: take-away, comparison, and missing addend examples through these 3 detailed exercises.

Solution: Exercises 1 to 3
1 Take-Away Example
Exercise 1
Solve the take-away problem:
"Emma had 6 stickers. She gave 2 to her friend. How many stickers does Emma have left?"
Definition:

Take-Away Problem: A subtraction problem where something is physically removed from a group. The total decreases as items are taken away.

Take-away method:
  1. Identify the starting amount
  2. Identify the amount taken away
  3. Subtract the taken amount from the starting amount
  4. Check if the answer is less than the starting amount
"Emma had 6 stickers. She gave 2 to her friend. How many stickers does Emma have left?"
1
Starting amount: Emma had 6 stickers
2
Taken away: She gave 2 stickers
3
Equation: 6 - 2 = ?
4
Solution: 6 - 2 = 4
Start with 6
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Gave away 2
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Remain 4
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Step 1: Identify the starting amount

Emma started with 6 stickers

Step 2: Identify what was taken away

She gave away 2 stickers to her friend

Step 3: Set up the subtraction

6 - 2 = ?

\(6 - 2 = 4\)
Final answer:

Emma has 4 stickers left.

Applied rules:

• Take-away structure: Start amount - taken amount = remaining

• Keywords: "gave", "left" indicate subtraction

• Visual method: Cross out objects to show taking away

2 Comparison Example
Exercise 2
Solve the comparison problem:
"Tom has 7 marbles. Jake has 4 marbles. How many more marbles does Tom have than Jake?"
Definition:

Comparison Problem: A subtraction problem that finds the difference between two amounts. It asks how much more or less one quantity is than another.

"Tom has 7 marbles. Jake has 4 marbles. How many more marbles does Tom have than Jake?"
1
Larger amount: Tom has 7 marbles
2
Smaller amount: Jake has 4 marbles
3
Equation: 7 - 4 = ?
4
Solution: 7 - 4 = 3
Tom: 7 marbles
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Jake: 4 marbles
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Difference: 3
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Step 1: Identify the two quantities

Tom has 7 marbles, Jake has 4 marbles

Step 2: Determine which is larger

Tom has more marbles than Jake

Step 3: Find the difference

7 - 4 = 3

\(7 - 4 = 3\)
Final answer:

Tom has 3 more marbles than Jake.

Applied rules:

• Comparison structure: Larger amount - smaller amount = difference

• Keywords: "more than", "less than", "difference" indicate comparison

• Visual method: Match objects to see the difference

3 Missing Addend Example
Exercise 3
Solve the missing addend problem:
"Maya had some cookies. She ate 3 and now has 4 left. How many cookies did Maya have at first?"
Definition:

Missing Addend Problem: A subtraction problem where you know the result after subtraction and one of the numbers, but need to find the original amount.

"Maya had some cookies. She ate 3 and now has 4 left. How many cookies did Maya have at first?"
1
Amount taken away: Maya ate 3 cookies
2
Amount remaining: 4 cookies left
3
Original amount: ? - 3 = 4
4
Solution: 4 + 3 = 7
Started with ?
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Ate 3
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Left: 4
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Step 1: Identify what happened

Maya ate 3 cookies and has 4 left

Step 2: Set up the relationship

Original amount - 3 = 4

Step 3: Find the original amount

To find the original, add: 4 + 3 = 7

\(7 - 3 = 4\)
Final answer:

Maya had 7 cookies at first.

Applied rules:

• Missing addend structure: Original - taken = remaining

• Reverse operation: To find original, add remaining + taken

• Keywords: "at first", "some", "originally" indicate missing addend

Categories of Subtraction Word Problems
\( \text{Take-Away} \mid \text{Comparison} \mid \text{Missing Addend} \)
Three Main Categories
Take-Away Examples

Objects are physically removed from a group.

Structure: Start with X, take away Y, find what remains
Keywords: gave, took, ate, lost, sold, left, remained
Equation: X - Y = ?
"Sarah had 6 balloons. She gave 2 away. How many does she have left?"
Comparison Examples

Finding the difference between two amounts.

Structure: Compare two quantities to find the difference
Keywords: more than, less than, difference, how many more, how many fewer
Equation: Larger - Smaller = Difference
"Tom has 7 toys. Amy has 4 toys. How many more toys does Tom have than Amy?"
Missing Addend Examples

Finding the original amount when you know what was taken and what remains.

Structure: Unknown start, known taken, known remainder
Keywords: at first, originally, some, started with, how many did you have
Equation: ? - Y = Z, so ? = Z + Y
"I ate 3 cookies and have 4 left. How many did I have at first?"
Example Categories:
Take-Away:
"I had 5 apples and ate 2. How many are left?"
"Emma had 8 stickers. She gave 3 to her friend. How many does she have now?"
Comparison:
"Tom has 6 toys, Amy has 4. How many more does Tom have?"
"Jake is 7 years old, Sarah is 4. How much older is Jake?"
Missing Addend:
"I have 3 left after eating 2. How many did I start with?"
"Maya had some marbles. She lost 4 and now has 5. How many did she start with?"
Example Classification Tips:

• Take-away: Focuses on removing items from one group

• Comparison: Involves two separate groups being compared

• Missing addend: Requires finding the original amount

Problem Solving Examples
\( \text{Read} \rightarrow \text{Identify} \rightarrow \text{Solve} \rightarrow \text{Check} \)
Step-by-Step Examples
Take-Away Example

Problem: "I had 8 cookies. I ate 3. How many are left?"

Read: Understand the situation (eating cookies)
Identify: Key words "ate" and "left" indicate subtraction
Solve: 8 - 3 = 5
Check: 5 is less than 8, so it makes sense
Answer: 5 cookies are left.
Comparison Example

Problem: "Tom has 9 toys. Amy has 5 toys. How many more toys does Tom have?"

Read: Understand the comparison between two people
Identify: Key phrase "how many more" indicates comparison
Solve: 9 - 5 = 4
Check: Tom indeed has more toys than Amy
Answer: Tom has 4 more toys than Amy.
Missing Addend Example

Problem: "I gave away 4 books and have 3 left. How many did I have at first?"

Read: Understand the situation (giving away books)
Identify: Need to find original amount (missing addend)
Solve: 3 + 4 = 7 (add what's left to what was given)
Check: 7 - 4 = 3 ✓
Answer: I had 7 books at first.
Tip 1: Read the question part of the problem first to understand what's being asked.
Tip 2: Look for keywords that indicate the problem type.
Tip 3: Draw a simple picture to visualize the problem.
Tip 4: Always check if your answer makes sense in the context.
Common errors: Misidentifying problem types, using wrong operation, not checking the answer in context.
Success strategies: Identify keywords, understand structure, check your answer.
Problem-solving examples:

• Take-away: Reducing a single group by removing items

• Comparison: Looking at two groups to find the difference

• Missing addend: Working backwards to find the original amount

Detailed Summary: Subtraction Word Problems Examples
Complete Learning Guide
Definition of Subtraction Word Problem Examples: Concrete illustrations of how subtraction concepts appear in real-world situations. These examples demonstrate the three main types of subtraction problems: take-away, comparison, and missing addend.
Key Terms:
  • Take-Away Type: Problems where objects are removed from a single group
  • Comparison Type: Problems that find the difference between two separate groups
  • Missing Addend Type: Problems where you find the original amount when you know what was taken and what remains
  • Keywords: Words that indicate which problem type to use
  • Structure: The underlying mathematical relationship in each problem type
Core Rules of Problem Examples:
  • Take-Away: Start with a group, remove some, find what remains (X - Y = ?)
  • Comparison: Compare two groups, find the difference (Larger - Smaller = Difference)
  • Missing Addend: Know the result, find the original (? - Y = Z, so ? = Z + Y)
  • Keyword Recognition: Different words indicate different problem types
Three Main Problem Types:
  1. Take-Away: Something is physically removed from a group (e.g., "gave", "ate", "lost")
  2. Comparison: Finding the difference between two amounts (e.g., "more than", "less than", "difference")
  3. Missing Addend: Finding the original amount (e.g., "at first", "originally", "started with")
Examples (Simple to Advanced):
  • Take-Away: "I had 5 apples and ate 2. How many are left?" (5 - 2 = 3)
  • Comparison: "Tom has 7 toys. Amy has 4 toys. How many more does Tom have?" (7 - 4 = 3)
  • Missing Addend: "I ate 3 cookies and have 4 left. How many did I have at first?" (4 + 3 = 7)
Tips and Tricks:
  • Read the question part first to understand what's being asked
  • Look for keywords that indicate the problem type
  • Sketch a picture to visualize the problem structure
  • Check that your answer makes sense in the context
  • Remember that missing addend problems require addition to solve
Common Pitfalls:
  • Misidentifying the problem type and using the wrong operation
  • Forgetting that missing addend problems require addition to solve
  • Not recognizing comparison problems that use subtraction
  • Ignoring context and focusing only on numbers
Memory Aids:
  • "Take-away: Something is removed from one group"
  • "Comparison: Two groups, find the difference"
  • "Missing addend: Work backwards, use addition"
  • Practice identifying keywords for each type
Checking Your Work: Always verify your answer makes sense in the story context and matches the problem type you identified.

Questions & Answers

Question: I understand the examples, but how do I know which type of problem I'm solving when I see a new word problem?

Answer: Great question! Here's how to identify the problem type:

  • Take-away: Look for one group and something being removed (ate, gave, lost, sold, etc.)
  • Comparison: Look for two different people, animals, or groups being compared
  • Missing addend: Look for questions about the original amount ("at first", "originally")
  • Read the question: What is it asking you to find?

Example 1: "I had 6 stickers and gave 2 away" → Take-away (one group, something removed)

Example 2: "Tom has 7 toys, Amy has 4. Who has more?" → Comparison (two groups)

Example 3: "I have 3 left after eating 4. How many did I start with?" → Missing addend (find original)

Question: Why do missing addend problems seem backwards? If it's subtraction, why do I need to add to solve it?

Answer: You're right that it seems backwards! Think of it this way:

  • Subtraction happened: Something was taken away from an unknown starting amount
  • You know the result: You see what's left after the subtraction
  • Work backwards: To find what you started with, you do the opposite operation
  • Opposite operations: Addition undoes subtraction

Example: "I ate 3 cookies and have 4 left. How many did I have at first?"

The math sentence is: ? - 3 = 4

To find the question mark, add: 4 + 3 = 7

Check: 7 - 3 = 4 ✓

Missing addend problems prepare you for algebra where you solve for unknowns!

Question: Sometimes I see words like "more" in take-away problems. How do I know which type it is?

Answer: Words can be tricky! Context is more important than individual words:

  • Take-away with "more": "I had 5 apples and got 2 more" (addition) vs "I had 5 apples and ate 2" (subtraction)
  • Look at the action: What is happening to the objects?
  • Compare groups: Are there two different groups being compared?
  • Check the question: What is the problem asking you to find?

Example of comparison: "Tom has 6 toys. Sarah has 4 toys. How many more toys does Tom have?" → This is comparison because it compares two groups

Example of take-away: "I had 6 cookies and ate 2. How many more do I need to eat to finish them all?" → This is take-away followed by another question

Always consider the full context, not just keywords!