Subtraction PracticeSubtraction practice on the number line is the best way to develop confidence with mental subtraction facts. This is one time when sums cannot start at zero on the number line. This is a bit of a weakness for this topic, but this can be corrected with the adding negative numbers exercise. The important thing to learn from the number line is the accuracy of the subtraction facts between 20 and zero. At the early stages it is not necessary to go anywhere near negative answers, but rather it is best to view them as not possible. For example, 9 - 3 gives 6, but 3 - 8 is not possible. So we arrive at the rule: Subtraction only works when the first number is bigger than the second. The number facts for pairs between 0 and 20 are essential to learn if your child is to find subtraction easy. Fortunately these can be learned in a number of ways, including math games. One good game for this is Pairs To Eleven. While this uses addition for number facts, it's a fun game that will also reinforce the associated subtractions. Another good game is Down To Nothing, though this requires your child to already possess some mental subtraction skills. Once these facts are learned, subtraction can move from the number line into its more abstract column form. Then the sums are easily broken down into single 1 - 20 subtraction parts. Return from Subtraction Practice to Math Help or return to the Green Planet home page for Solar Power Facts.
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