Subtraction Facts Within 10

Subtraction means taking things away to find out how many are left. When we talk about subtraction facts within 10, it means the biggest number we start with is $10$.

Understanding the Minus Sign

When we subtract, we use a minus sign ($-$).

Look at this math sentence: $9 - 5 = 4$

We read this as: "Nine minus five equals four." It means if you start with $9$ things and take away $5$ of them, you will have $4$ left.

Using Pictures or Objects

One of the easiest ways to subtract is to imagine objects.

Imagine you have $7$ apples. You give $3$ apples to a friend. How many apples do you have left?

Let's count backward from $7$, taking away one at a time: $6, 5, 4$.

You have $4$ apples left! $7 - 3 = 4$

Connecting Addition and Subtraction

Did you know that addition and subtraction are best friends? They are opposites! If you know your addition facts, you already know your subtraction facts.

Think about the numbers $4$, $6$, and $10$. If you know that: $6 + 4 = 10$

Then you can easily solve these subtraction problems: $10 - 4 = 6$ $10 - 6 = 4$

Let's Practice!

Here are a few more subtraction facts to practice:

• $8 - 2 = ?$ (Start at $8$, count back $2$: $7, 6$. The answer is $6$.)
• $9 - 5 = ?$ (Think: $5 + 4 = 9$, so $9 - 5 = 4$.)
• $10 - 4 = ?$ (Think: $4 + 6 = 10$, so $10 - 4 = 6$.)

Keep practicing these basic facts, and soon you will know them by heart without even needing to count!