Skill: Recall subtraction facts within 20

Explanation and Free Practice Resources

This knowledge includes fluent recall of whole-number subtraction facts with minuends up to 20, including zero differences, subtracting zero, and related fact families such as 14−6=814-6=8, 14−8=614-8=6, and 6+8=146+8=14. It reflects subtraction as finding a difference or an unknown addend and distinguishes its noncommutative order from addition; it does not extend to larger-number algorithms, decimals, or generalized subtraction.

Detailed Explanation: Recall subtraction facts within 20

Subtraction asks, “How many are left?” or “What number can I add to the subtracted number to get the starting number?”

Example: Find 14−614-6.

  1. Start with 1414.
  2. Take away 66. Think of the related addition fact:
    “66 plus what number equals 1414?”
  3. Count up from 66 to 1414:
    6+4=106+4=10 and 10+4=1410+4=14.
  4. You counted up 88 altogether, so
14−6=8.14-6=8.

Check your answer with addition:

6+8=146+8=14

Remember, subtraction order matters: 14−614-6 and 6−146-14 do not have the same answer.

Learn by doing: Recall subtraction facts within 20

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