Take-away word problems represent a situation in which a whole quantity is reduced by a known amount, leaving an unknown remainder; the learner identifies these quantities, represents their relationship with drawings, a number line, or an equation such as , and solves with whole numbers within 20. The learner interprets subtraction as finding what remains, rather than simply reacting to keywords, and checks the result by adding the amount removed back to the remainder; multi-digit, negative-number, and generalized unknown-position problems are not included.
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- Learn “Solve take-away word problems” with a detailed explanation of the concept
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- Download (or modify) a free worksheet on Solve take-away word problems you can use at home or in class with practice problems that scaffold and explore “Solve take-away word problems” from different perspectives.
- Start working on adaptive units like “Picture Numbers - Addition and Subtraction” or “Picture Numbers - Subtraction Intro” that introduce, teach, or practice “Solve take-away word problems” to maximize your learning.
Detailed Explanation: Solve take-away word problems
A take-away problem tells you that you start with a whole amount, remove some, and find what remains.
Look for:
- Starting amount: how many there were at first
- Amount taken away: how many were removed
- Amount left: what you need to find
Example:
Mia has 13 apples. She gives away 5 apples. How many apples are left?
- The whole amount is apples.
- The amount taken away is apples.
- Write a subtraction equation:
- Count back 5 from 13:
So,
Mia has 8 apples left.
Check your answer by adding the apples left to the apples given away:
The check matches the starting amount, so the answer is correct.
Learn by doing: Solve take-away word problems
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Practice:
Picture Numbers - Subtracting - Picture and Instruction to Number (Within 20)
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Download/Modify Free Grade 1 'Solve take-away word problems' Worksheet
Print this free 'Solve take-away word problems' worksheet to practice this skill away from the computer. Click 'Modify' to easily customize this worksheet to your exact needs.
This Worksheet Includes:
- Picture Numbers - Subtracting - Picture and Instruction to Number (Within 20)
- Picture Numbers - Subtracting - Picture and Instruction to Word (Within 20)
- Picture Numbers - Subtracting - Picture and Instruction to Equation (Within 20)
- Picture Numbers - Subtracting - Picture to Equation (Within 20)
- Picture Numbers - Subtracting - Picture to Equation (Within 10)
- Picture Numbers - Subtracting - Picture and Instruction to Number (Within 10)
- Picture Numbers - Subtracting - Picture to Number (Within 10)
- Picture Numbers - Subtracting - Picture and Instruction to Equation (Within 5)
Units Teaching This Skill
These adaptive units introduce, teach, or reinforce this skill (Solve take-away word problems) through scaffolded problems that grow in difficulty as concepts are understood.