Subtraction — Topic Guide
A plain-language explanation of subtraction, with a worked example — plus a link straight into the generator to create a fresh, printable practice sheet.
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How subtraction works
Subtraction finds the difference between two numbers. Line the numbers up by place value, then subtract each column starting from the right, borrowing from the next column when the top digit is smaller than the bottom digit.
Borrowing (regrouping)
When you can't subtract in a column because the top digit is smaller, borrow 1 from the column to its left — that reduces the neighbor by 1 and adds 10 to the current column.
Ones column: 2 − 7 needs borrowing → borrow 1 ten, ones becomes 12: 12 − 7 = 5
Tens column: 5 (originally) − 1 (borrowed) − 2 = 2
Answer: 25
Common mistakes
Students often subtract the smaller digit from the larger one in a column regardless of which is on top, instead of borrowing. Watch for this especially in the ones column — it's the single most common subtraction error.
Where subtraction shows up next
Subtraction and addition are inverse operations — checking a subtraction answer by adding it back to the smaller number is a good habit. It's also the base skill for long division later on.