1st Grade Subtracting 3 Worksheet: Ones First, Then the Tens

Ask a six-year-old for 9 take away 3 and you may see three fingers fold down, one by one, before the answer comes. That is exactly the fact your child needs for 39 - 3. This 1st grade subtracting 3 worksheet moves those small facts into two-digit numbers. Each colored box shows a number in tens and ones columns with - 3 written below. The first box is solved: 28 - 3, with a red loop around the 8 and the 3, a note that reads 8 - 3 = 5, and then the tens, 2. The other problems include 13 - 3, 17 - 3 and 43 - 3. A second page gives the answer key.

Why minus 3 is a step up from minus 1 and 2

Taking away 1 or 2 can be done by counting back almost without thinking. Three steps back is where many children start to lose their place, so this is a good moment to lean on subtraction facts instead.

The page gives just enough support. In the worked example, the loop around the ones digit shows where the work happens, and the tens digit comes straight down.

Also, every number here ends in 3 or more, so no problem needs regrouping. For example, 39 - 3 only asks for 9 - 3 in the ones place. Then 13 - 3 and 43 - 3 bring the ones down to zero. Those two boxes check whether the child really understands column subtraction, or only copies a pattern.

At the table: 13 - 3 and 43 - 3

Start with the example. Ask your child to trace the red loop with a finger. "Why do we start with the ones?"

The blue box, 13 - 3, is the likely trip. Some children see 13 and 3 and write 1, crossing out the matching digits. Others write 10 but feel unsure about it. Instead of correcting, ask, "What is 3 take away 3?" Let your child write that digit first, then bring the tens down.

The same idea returns at the bottom right with 43 - 3. Notice, too, that 55 - 3 appears twice on the page. If your child notices, ask, "Should both answers match?" Spotting the repeat is a small, real piece of mathematical thinking.

Three steps back, on a board and on the stairs

Subtracting 3 makes sense when you can see it. On the stairs, stand on step 9, then walk three steps down and say the step number out loud. While you bake, start with twelve cookies on the tray, take three for the family, and count the rest.

Also, Chutes and Ladders gives plenty of practice. When a spinner shows 3, or a chute drops your child back, count the squares backward together before moving the piece.

These short games keep the facts fresh. When you finish, compare the page with the answer key and praise the effort: "You worked the ones digit first in every box."