Help Grade 2 students learn 2-digit subtraction with regrouping using fun printable worksheets, borrowing practice pages, word problems, and engaging math activities.
Try these online before or after you print the worksheet. Click an answer to check it, or open "Show answer" for the full working. Each wrong option is a mistake students really make, so it is worth reading why.
Work out 52 - 27.
25. Trade a ten: 5 tens 2 ones becomes 4 tens 12 ones. Then 12 - 7 = 5 in the ones and 4 - 2 = 2 in the tens, so the answer is 25. The tempting wrong answer is 35, which comes from doing 7 - 2 instead of 12 - 7.
Work out 72 - 46.
26. Trade a ten: 7 tens 2 ones becomes 6 tens 12 ones. Then 12 - 6 = 6 in the ones and 6 - 4 = 2 in the tens, so the answer is 26. If you get 36 you regrouped the ones but forgot to drop the 7 down to 6.
Work out 34 - 17.
17. Trade a ten: 3 tens 4 ones becomes 2 tens 14 ones. Then 14 - 7 = 7 in the ones and 2 - 1 = 1 in the tens, so the answer is 17.
Work out 90 - 38.
52. There are no ones at all to start with. Trade a ten: 9 tens 0 ones becomes 8 tens 10 ones. Then 10 - 8 = 2 in the ones and 8 - 3 = 5 in the tens, so the answer is 52. Answering 60 means treating "0 take away 8" as 0 - you cannot skip a column.
Work out 76 - 49.
27. Trade a ten: 7 tens 6 ones becomes 6 tens 16 ones. Then 16 - 9 = 7 in the ones and 6 - 4 = 2 in the tens, so the answer is 27.
Work out 63 - 25.
38. Trade a ten: 6 tens 3 ones becomes 5 tens 13 ones. Then 13 - 5 = 8 in the ones and 5 - 2 = 3 in the tens, so the answer is 38.
Which one of these needs regrouping?
62 - 48. Only 62 - 48. Compare the ones digits: 2 is smaller than 8, so there are not enough ones and a ten has to be traded. In the others the top ones digit is already big enough.
Ben worked out 94 - 36 and wrote 62. What is the correct answer?
58. Ben did 6 - 4 in the ones instead of 14 - 6, because he took the smaller digit from the larger one. Trade a ten: 9 tens 4 ones becomes 8 tens 14 ones. Then 14 - 6 = 8 in the ones and 8 - 3 = 5 in the tens, so the answer is 58.
No buttons on these. Have a go first, then check.
How can you tell, before you start, whether a subtraction needs regrouping?
Look only at the ones digits. If the top one is smaller than the bottom one, you will need to trade a ten. You do not have to work the whole thing out first.
Why does trading one ten give you ten more ones?
Because a ten IS ten ones - it is the same amount written a different way. Nothing is added or lost, it just moves across a column.
How can you check a subtraction answer without doing it again?
Add your answer back to the number you took away. If 52 - 27 = 25, then 25 + 27 should come to 52. If it does not, something went wrong.
Maya says "subtraction always makes the ones digit smaller". Is she right?
No. In 52 - 27 = 25 the ones digit goes from 2 up to 5. Once you trade a ten there are more ones to work with, so the ones digit in the answer can be bigger than the one you started with.
Want it on paper? Download the free printable worksheet above - three pages of practice plus a full answer key with the regrouping shown step by step.