Grade 3 Subtraction: 2-Digit Subtraction

Subtract 2-digit numbers without borrowing

What You'll Learn

Subtract ones from ones and tens from tens
Line up digits by place value
Check answers by adding

📖Subtracting 2-Digit Numbers

When subtracting 2-digit numbers, line them up by place value. Subtract the ones first, then the tens. 78 - 45 = 33 because 8 - 5 = 3 and 70 - 40 = 30.

💡

Check your work by adding: 33 + 45 = 78. If it equals the top number, you got it right!

Worked examples

Real problems from the practice worksheets, solved one step at a time.

Example 1
64 − 13 = ?
1. Subtract each place value, starting from the ones.
2. Ones: 4 − 3 = 1
3. Tens: 6 − 1 = 5
4. The answer is 51.
Answer: 51
Example 2
44 − 31 = ?
1. Subtract each place value, starting from the ones.
2. Ones: 4 − 1 = 3
3. Tens: 4 − 3 = 1
4. The answer is 13.
Answer: 13
Example 3
56 − 33 = ?
1. Subtract each place value, starting from the ones.
2. Ones: 6 − 3 = 3
3. Tens: 5 − 3 = 2
4. The answer is 23.
Answer: 23