Comparing Using Addition and Subtraction
Sometimes we need to compare two groups and find how many more or how many fewer one group has than the other. We use subtraction to find the difference between two numbers.
In Class 1, children solve comparison word problems like 'Ria has 8 apples and Aman has 5. How many more does Ria have?' The answer is found by subtracting: 8 − 5 = 3.
What is Comparing Using Addition and Subtraction - Class 1 Maths (Addition (Grade 1))?
Comparing means finding out which group has more and which has less, and by how much.
Key phrases:
- How many more? → Subtract the smaller from the bigger.
- How many fewer/less? → Same subtraction: bigger − smaller.
- How many in all? → Add both groups together.
Difference = Bigger number − Smaller number
Solved Examples
Example 1: Example 1: How Many More?
Question: Ria has 9 stickers. Aman has 4. How many more does Ria have?
Think:
- 9 − 4 = 5
Answer: Ria has 5 more stickers.
Example 2: Example 2: How Many Fewer?
Question: Priya has 3 balloons. Dev has 7 balloons. How many fewer does Priya have?
Think:
- 7 − 3 = 4
Answer: Priya has 4 fewer balloons.
Example 3: Example 3: Compare and Add
Question: Meera has 6 beads and Aditi has 5 beads. How many beads do they have together?
Think:
- 6 + 5 = 11
Answer: They have 11 beads together.
Example 4: Example 4: Equal Groups
Question: Arjun has 7 marbles and Kavi has 7 marbles. How many more does Arjun have?
Think:
- 7 − 7 = 0
Answer: Arjun has 0 more — they are equal.
Example 5: Example 5: Who Has More?
Question: Ria has 10 crayons and Neha has 6. Who has more? By how many?
Think:
- 10 > 6, so Ria has more
- 10 − 6 = 4
Answer: Ria has more, by 4 crayons.
Example 6: Example 6: Make Equal
Question: Dev has 5 toffees and Aman has 8 toffees. How many more toffees does Dev need to have the same as Aman?
Think:
- 8 − 5 = 3
Answer: Dev needs 3 more toffees.
Example 7: Example 7: Picture Comparison
Question: Row A has 6 stars: * * * * * *. Row B has 4 stars: * * * *. How many more stars in Row A?
Think:
- 6 − 4 = 2
Answer: Row A has 2 more stars.
Key Points to Remember
- To find how many more, subtract the smaller number from the bigger number.
- How many fewer uses the same subtraction.
- To find how many in all, add the two groups.
- If both groups are equal, the difference is 0.
- Key words: more, fewer, less, difference, in all, together, total.
Practice Problems
- Ria has 8 pencils. Aman has 5 pencils. How many more does Ria have?
- Priya has 4 flowers. Meera has 9 flowers. How many fewer does Priya have?
- There are 6 red balls and 3 blue balls. How many more red balls are there?
- Dev has 7 toffees and Kavi has 7 toffees. What is the difference?
- Aditi has 5 ribbons and Neha has 10 ribbons. How many more does Neha have?
- A class has 12 boys and 8 girls. How many more boys are there than girls?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. What does 'how many more' mean?
'How many more' asks you to find the difference between two groups. Subtract the smaller number from the bigger number to find the answer.
Q2. What does 'how many fewer' mean?
'How many fewer' means the same as 'how many less.' It asks how much smaller one group is compared to another. Use subtraction to find the answer.
Q3. When do I add in comparison problems?
Add when the problem asks 'how many in all' or 'how many together.' This means you need to combine both groups.
Q4. What if both groups are equal?
If both groups have the same number, the difference is 0. Neither group has more or fewer than the other.
Q5. How do I know which number to subtract from?
Always subtract the smaller number from the bigger number. The answer is always a positive number (or zero if they are equal).
Q6. What are comparison word problems?
These are word problems that ask you to compare two groups and find how many more, how many fewer, or how many in all. They use addition or subtraction.
