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➗ Mathematics · Topic 3 of 10

Subtraction — Mathematics Questions with Answers

60 practice questions on Subtraction, each with the correct answer and a clear explanation of why it is right. Read through them as revision notes, or take this topic as an interactive quiz to test yourself.

7 easy · 27 medium · 26 hard · Part of Mathematics: Maths problems for Class 1-5 - 10 topics.

Key concepts in this topic

SubtractionSingle digitSubtract zeroSame numberSubtract one2-digit - 1-digit2-digitTensBorrowingHundreds3-digitWord problemInverseMissing numberNo borrowCheckingComparisonEqual differenceSummary

Jump to: Easy · Medium · Hard

Easy questions (7)

Q1. easy

What is 5 - 2?

  1. A 3
  2. B 7
  3. C 2
  4. D 4

Answer: A — 3

5 - 2 means take 2 away from 5, which leaves 3.

SubtractionSingle digit

Q2. easy

What is 9 - 4?

  1. A 5
  2. B 13
  3. C 4
  4. D 6

Answer: A — 5

9 - 4 = 5. Take 4 away from 9 to get 5.

SubtractionSingle digit

Q3. easy

What is 7 - 0?

  1. A 7
  2. B 0
  3. C 70
  4. D 1

Answer: A — 7

Taking away 0 does not change the number, so 7 - 0 = 7.

SubtractionSubtract zero

Q4. easy

What is 8 - 8?

  1. A 0
  2. B 1
  3. C 8
  4. D 16

Answer: A — 0

Taking away all 8 from 8 leaves nothing: 8 - 8 = 0.

SubtractionSame number

Q5. easy

What is 6 - 1?

  1. A 5
  2. B 7
  3. C 6
  4. D 4

Answer: A — 5

6 - 1 = 5. Taking 1 away gives the number before it.

SubtractionSubtract one

Q17. easy

Sita had 8 sweets. She ate 3. How many are left?

  1. A 5
  2. B 11
  3. C 3
  4. D 6

Answer: A — 5

'Left' means take away: 8 - 3 = 5 sweets.

Word problemSubtraction

Q59. easy

What is 10 - 4?

  1. A 6
  2. B 14
  3. C 4
  4. D 7

Answer: A — 6

10 - 4 = 6. Take 4 away from 10 to get 6.

Subtraction2-digit

Medium questions (27)

Q6. medium

What is 15 - 5?

  1. A 10
  2. B 20
  3. C 5
  4. D 11

Answer: A — 10

15 - 5 = 10. Take away the 5 ones to leave 1 ten.

Subtraction2-digit - 1-digit

Q7. medium

What is 28 - 13?

  1. A 15
  2. B 16
  3. C 41
  4. D 14

Answer: A — 15

Ones: 8 - 3 = 5. Tens: 2 - 1 = 1. So 28 - 13 = 15.

Subtraction2-digit

Q8. medium

What is 40 - 20?

  1. A 20
  2. B 60
  3. C 2
  4. D 22

Answer: A — 20

4 tens - 2 tens = 2 tens = 20. So 40 - 20 = 20.

SubtractionTens

Q9. medium

What is 37 - 14?

  1. A 23
  2. B 24
  3. C 51
  4. D 13

Answer: A — 23

Ones: 7 - 4 = 3. Tens: 3 - 1 = 2. So 37 - 14 = 23.

Subtraction2-digit

Q13. medium

What is 100 - 50?

  1. A 50
  2. B 150
  3. C 5
  4. D 40

Answer: A — 50

100 - 50 = 50.

SubtractionHundreds

Q18. medium

There were 20 birds on a tree. 7 flew away. How many are left?

  1. A 13
  2. B 27
  3. C 14
  4. D 12

Answer: A — 13

Birds left = 20 - 7 = 13.

Word problemSubtraction

Q19. medium

A box had 35 chocolates. 15 were eaten. How many are left?

  1. A 20
  2. B 50
  3. C 25
  4. D 10

Answer: A — 20

Chocolates left = 35 - 15 = 20.

Word problemSubtraction

Q21. medium

Subtraction is the opposite of which operation?

  1. A Addition
  2. B Multiplication
  3. C Division
  4. D Counting

Answer: A — Addition

Subtraction is the opposite (inverse) of addition. If 3 + 4 = 7, then 7 - 4 = 3.

SubtractionInverse

Q22. medium

Fill in the blank: 15 - ___ = 9

  1. A 6
  2. B 5
  3. C 24
  4. D 9

Answer: A — 6

We need to take away a number from 15 to get 9. Since 15 - 9 = 6, the answer is 6.

SubtractionMissing number

Q24. medium

What is 19 - 9?

  1. A 10
  2. B 28
  3. C 9
  4. D 11

Answer: A — 10

19 - 9 = 10.

Subtraction2-digit

Q25. medium

What is 44 - 4?

  1. A 40
  2. B 48
  3. C 4
  4. D 41

Answer: A — 40

Ones: 4 - 4 = 0. Tens: 4. So 44 - 4 = 40.

SubtractionNo borrow

Q28. medium

A shop had 60 apples. It sold 35. How many apples are left?

  1. A 25
  2. B 95
  3. C 35
  4. D 15

Answer: A — 25

Apples left = 60 - 35 = 25.

Word problemBorrowing

Q30. medium

What is 26 - 26?

  1. A 0
  2. B 1
  3. C 26
  4. D 52

Answer: A — 0

Any number minus itself is 0: 26 - 26 = 0.

SubtractionSame number

Q32. medium

Check by addition: if 12 - 5 = 7, then 7 + 5 should equal:

  1. A 12
  2. B 5
  3. C 7
  4. D 35

Answer: A — 12

To check a subtraction, add the answer and the number taken away: 7 + 5 = 12. It matches, so the answer is correct.

SubtractionChecking

Q33. medium

What is 55 - 30?

  1. A 25
  2. B 35
  3. C 85
  4. D 15

Answer: A — 25

Tens: 5 - 3 = 2; ones: 5 - 0 = 5. So 55 - 30 = 25.

Subtraction2-digit

Q35. medium

There are 45 students. 18 are girls. How many are boys?

  1. A 27
  2. B 63
  3. C 37
  4. D 17

Answer: A — 27

Boys = total - girls = 45 - 18 = 27.

Word problemBorrowing

Q37. medium

What is 12 - 12?

  1. A 0
  2. B 24
  3. C 1
  4. D 12

Answer: A — 0

12 - 12 = 0.

SubtractionSame number

Q39. medium

What is 99 - 9?

  1. A 90
  2. B 0
  3. C 108
  4. D 89

Answer: A — 90

Ones: 9 - 9 = 0. Tens: 9. So 99 - 9 = 90.

Subtraction2-digit

Q41. medium

A bus had 40 passengers. At a stop, 12 got down. How many are left?

  1. A 28
  2. B 52
  3. C 38
  4. D 18

Answer: A — 28

Passengers left = 40 - 12 = 28.

Word problemBorrowing

Q43. medium

What is 30 - 15?

  1. A 15
  2. B 25
  3. C 45
  4. D 5

Answer: A — 15

30 - 15 = 15.

SubtractionBorrowing

Q45. medium

What is 25 - 10?

  1. A 15
  2. B 35
  3. C 5
  4. D 20

Answer: A — 15

25 - 10 = 15.

Subtraction2-digit

Q47. medium

There were 18 mangoes. 6 were rotten and thrown away. How many good mangoes are left?

  1. A 12
  2. B 24
  3. C 10
  4. D 14

Answer: A — 12

Good mangoes = 18 - 6 = 12.

Word problemSubtraction

Q49. medium

What is 50 - 25?

  1. A 25
  2. B 35
  3. C 75
  4. D 15

Answer: A — 25

50 - 25 = 25.

SubtractionBorrowing

Q51. medium

What is 16 - 8?

  1. A 8
  2. B 24
  3. C 6
  4. D 9

Answer: A — 8

16 - 8 = 8 (half of 16).

Subtraction2-digit

Q53. medium

A hen had 24 eggs. 9 broke. How many eggs are left?

  1. A 15
  2. B 33
  3. C 16
  4. D 13

Answer: A — 15

Eggs left = 24 - 9 = 15.

Word problemBorrowing

Q55. medium

What is 33 - 22?

  1. A 11
  2. B 55
  3. C 10
  4. D 12

Answer: A — 11

Ones: 3 - 2 = 1. Tens: 3 - 2 = 1. So 33 - 22 = 11.

Subtraction2-digit

Q57. medium

What is 45 - 45?

  1. A 0
  2. B 90
  3. C 1
  4. D 45

Answer: A — 0

Any number minus itself is 0: 45 - 45 = 0.

SubtractionSame number

Hard questions (26)

Q10. hard

What is 32 - 15?

  1. A 17
  2. B 27
  3. C 23
  4. D 13

Answer: A — 17

We cannot do 2 - 5, so borrow 1 ten: 12 - 5 = 7. Tens: 2 - 1 = 1. So 32 - 15 = 17.

SubtractionBorrowing

Q11. hard

What is 51 - 26?

  1. A 25
  2. B 35
  3. C 23
  4. D 15

Answer: A — 25

Borrow: 11 - 6 = 5. Tens: 4 - 2 = 2. So 51 - 26 = 25.

SubtractionBorrowing

Q12. hard

What is 60 - 24?

  1. A 36
  2. B 44
  3. C 46
  4. D 26

Answer: A — 36

Borrow: 10 - 4 = 6. Tens: 5 - 2 = 3. So 60 - 24 = 36.

SubtractionBorrowing

Q14. hard

What is 100 - 1?

  1. A 99
  2. B 101
  3. C 90
  4. D 10

Answer: A — 99

100 - 1 = 99 (the number just before 100).

SubtractionBorrowing

Q15. hard

What is 345 - 123?

  1. A 222
  2. B 232
  3. C 122
  4. D 468

Answer: A — 222

Ones: 5 - 3 = 2. Tens: 4 - 2 = 2. Hundreds: 3 - 1 = 2. So 345 - 123 = 222.

Subtraction3-digit

Q16. hard

What is 250 - 125?

  1. A 125
  2. B 135
  3. C 115
  4. D 375

Answer: A — 125

Ones: 0 - 5, borrow → 10 - 5 = 5. Tens: 4 - 2 = 2. Hundreds: 2 - 1 = 1. So 250 - 125 = 125.

SubtractionBorrowing

Q20. hard

Ravi had 52 rupees. He spent 26 rupees. How much money is left?

  1. A 26
  2. B 78
  3. C 36
  4. D 16

Answer: A — 26

Money left = 52 - 26 = 26 rupees.

Word problemBorrowing

Q23. hard

Fill in the blank: ___ - 8 = 12

  1. A 20
  2. B 4
  3. C 18
  4. D 10

Answer: A — 20

The number take away 8 gives 12, so the number is 12 + 8 = 20.

SubtractionMissing number

Q26. hard

What is 70 - 45?

  1. A 25
  2. B 35
  3. C 15
  4. D 115

Answer: A — 25

Borrow: 10 - 5 = 5. Tens: 6 - 4 = 2. So 70 - 45 = 25.

SubtractionBorrowing

Q27. hard

What is 83 - 47?

  1. A 36
  2. B 46
  3. C 44
  4. D 26

Answer: A — 36

Borrow: 13 - 7 = 6. Tens: 7 - 4 = 3. So 83 - 47 = 36.

SubtractionBorrowing

Q29. hard

A number is 90. Take away 55. What is the answer?

  1. A 35
  2. B 45
  3. C 25
  4. D 145

Answer: A — 35

90 - 55 = 35.

SubtractionBorrowing

Q31. hard

What is 200 - 75?

  1. A 125
  2. B 135
  3. C 115
  4. D 275

Answer: A — 125

200 - 75 = 125. (Borrow across: 200 - 75 leaves 125.)

SubtractionBorrowing

Q34. hard

What is 500 - 250?

  1. A 250
  2. B 350
  3. C 150
  4. D 750

Answer: A — 250

500 - 250 = 250.

Subtraction3-digit

Q36. hard

A tank had 250 litres of water. 130 litres were used. How much is left?

  1. A 120
  2. B 130
  3. C 380
  4. D 110

Answer: A — 120

Water left = 250 - 130 = 120 litres.

Word problem3-digit

Q38. hard

Fill in the blank: 40 - ___ = 15

  1. A 25
  2. B 55
  3. C 35
  4. D 5

Answer: A — 25

40 - 15 = 25, so we take away 25 to reach 15.

SubtractionMissing number

Q40. hard

What is 305 - 105?

  1. A 200
  2. B 210
  3. C 410
  4. D 100

Answer: A — 200

Ones: 5 - 5 = 0. Tens: 0 - 0 = 0. Hundreds: 3 - 1 = 2. So 305 - 105 = 200.

Subtraction3-digit

Q42. hard

What is 84 - 39?

  1. A 45
  2. B 55
  3. C 43
  4. D 35

Answer: A — 45

Borrow: 14 - 9 = 5. Tens: 7 - 3 = 4. So 84 - 39 = 45.

SubtractionBorrowing

Q44. hard

Ravi scored 95 marks and Sam scored 78 marks. How many more marks did Ravi score?

  1. A 17
  2. B 27
  3. C 173
  4. D 13

Answer: A — 17

'How many more' means subtract: 95 - 78 = 17 marks.

Word problemComparison

Q46. hard

What is 400 - 199?

  1. A 201
  2. B 211
  3. C 199
  4. D 601

Answer: A — 201

400 - 199 = 201. (Take 200 away to get 200, then add 1 back = 201.)

SubtractionBorrowing

Q48. hard

What is 72 - 58?

  1. A 14
  2. B 24
  3. C 16
  4. D 12

Answer: A — 14

Borrow: 12 - 8 = 4. Tens: 6 - 5 = 1. So 72 - 58 = 14.

SubtractionBorrowing

Q50. hard

A number is 63. When we subtract another number, we get 28. What number was subtracted?

  1. A 35
  2. B 45
  3. C 91
  4. D 25

Answer: A — 35

The number subtracted = 63 - 28 = 35.

SubtractionMissing number

Q52. hard

Which subtraction gives the SAME answer as 20 - 5?

  1. A 18 - 3
  2. B 20 - 3
  3. C 18 - 5
  4. D 25 - 5

Answer: A — 18 - 3

20 - 5 = 15. Checking: 18 - 3 = 15 too. So 18 - 3 gives the same answer.

SubtractionEqual difference

Q54. hard

What is 111 - 11?

  1. A 100
  2. B 110
  3. C 1
  4. D 101

Answer: A — 100

111 - 11 = 100.

Subtraction3-digit

Q56. hard

There are 150 pages in a book. Ravi has read 90 pages. How many are left to read?

  1. A 60
  2. B 70
  3. C 240
  4. D 50

Answer: A — 60

Pages left = 150 - 90 = 60.

Word problem3-digit

Q58. hard

Which overall statement about subtraction is CORRECT?

  1. A Subtraction means taking away to find what is left or the difference; we subtract ones first, borrowing from the tens when needed, and it is the opposite of addition
  2. B Subtraction always makes a bigger number
  3. C The order of numbers does not matter in subtraction
  4. D We never borrow in subtraction

Answer: A — Subtraction means taking away to find what is left or the difference; we subtract ones first, borrowing from the tens when needed, and it is the opposite of addition

This sums up the topic: subtraction finds the difference or what is left; we subtract column by column and borrow from the next place when the top digit is smaller; and it undoes addition, which is how we can check our answer.

SubtractionSummary

Q60. hard

What is 62 - 48?

  1. A 14
  2. B 24
  3. C 26
  4. D 16

Answer: A — 14

Borrow: 12 - 8 = 4. Tens: 5 - 4 = 1. So 62 - 48 = 14.

SubtractionBorrowing

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