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Stage 3 of 20

Single-Digit Subtraction

Subtraction is the inverse of addition. When you know your addition facts, subtraction becomes a matter of finding the missing partner.

What You'll Learn

  • Subtract single digits where the result stays positive
  • Connect subtraction to known addition facts
  • Build confidence with the "count back" and "think addition" methods

Explanation

To solve 9 − 4, ask: "4 plus what equals 9?" The answer 5 appears because you already know 4 + 5 = 9.

Counting back works for small differences: start at 9, step back 4 times to reach 5. Use this when the numbers are close together.

Subtraction answers the question "how many more?" If you have 7 apples and eat 3, how many remain? The fact 7 − 3 = 4 tells you.

Keep answers positive in this stage. Borrowing — covered next — handles cases where the bottom number is larger.

Pro Tips

  • • Pair each subtraction fact with its addition twin: 8 − 3 = 5 because 3 + 5 = 8.
  • • Start with minuends (top numbers) of 10 or less for clean practice.
  • • If stuck, add up from the smaller number instead of counting back.

Practice Exercises

Work through each problem mentally. Click "Show Answer" when you're ready to check.

  1. 1. 9 − 4 = ?
  2. 2. 8 − 3 = ?
  3. 3. 7 − 2 = ?
  4. 4. 9 − 6 = ?
  5. 5. 8 − 5 = ?
  6. 6. 6 − 1 = ?
  7. 7. 9 − 7 = ?
  8. 8. 7 − 4 = ?
  9. 9. 8 − 6 = ?
  10. 10. 9 − 2 = ?