Although you can always use graph/grid paper to help students line up the numbers in arithmetic, it is sometimes nice to have a ready-made solution that only requires hitting the print button. Previously, I included grid support for addition, multiplication and division, but I somehow missed subtraction, and thankfully a Math-Drills visitor asked for it the other day.
Math-Drills now includes a selection of long subtraction questions that display the digits with more separation and include a grid. The answer keys show the regrouping steps to help teachers easily diagnose any issues when things go wrong. The versions of this worksheet start with 2-digit minus 2-digit numbers and work their way up to 6-digit minus 6-digit numbers. The following image shows questions from the 3-digit minus 3-digit version. There are also a couple of versions with shorter and longer questions on the same page (2- to 4- digit version and 3- to 6-digit version).
Of course, there are different strategies to use when subtracting and these worksheets focus on the pencil and paper algorithm commonly used in North America and other places. As with all Math-Drills worksheets, don’t feel bound by what the answer key shows; use the strategies that work best for your students.
Subtraction with Grid Support worksheets can be found on the Subtraction Worksheets page or by using the search feature on the website.
