Subtraction

Subtraction in IB PYP Grade 1 Mathematics

Subtraction means taking some away, or finding how many are left. Grade 1 learners cross out pictures, count back along a number line and learn that adding and subtracting are opposites.

PYP learning is inquiry-based, so every worksheet here is short, colourful and playful, with a friendly animal guide and a teacher answer key on page 2.

What learners practise

Crossing out pictures to take away
Counting back on a number line
Subtracting within 10 and then within 20
Finding a missing number in a subtraction sum
Checking subtraction with addition (fact families)

Subtraction at a glance

Subtract means take away; the answer is how many are left
Count back: start at the big number and hop backward
Opposites: 7 + 5 = 12, so 12 − 5 = 7
Zero: taking away nothing leaves the same number

For students

Read each instruction carefully, try every question and colour the animal when you finish.

For parents

Print on A4, read the instructions aloud together and let your child work alone before you check.

For teachers

Use a worksheet as a starter, homework or exit ticket. Each one has a name, class and date box and an answer key.

Teaching tip

Use real objects. Hide some under a cup and ask “How many are under the cup?” It makes subtraction feel like a game.

Quick answers

Who is the Subtraction page for?

It is for IB PYP Grade 1 Mathematics learners, typically aged 6–7, and for the parents and teachers who support them.

Is subtraction harder than addition?

It usually takes a little longer, so the worksheets start with pictures to cross out and number lines to count back.

What does “difference” mean?

It is how many more one number is than another, found by subtracting.

How should I use these worksheets?

Pick one worksheet, let your child try it without help first, then check together with the answer key on page 2. Short sessions of five to ten minutes, a few times a week, work best.