Subtraction Word Problems (Grade 2)
Subtraction word problems are stories where you need to find how many are left, how many more, or the difference between two amounts.
Clue words like "left," "remaining," "gave away," "less," "how many more," and "difference" tell you to subtract.
What is Subtraction Word Problems (Grade 2) - Class 2 Maths (Subtraction (Grade 2))?
A subtraction word problem is a real-life story where something is taken away, used up, or compared.
Steps to solve:
- Read the problem carefully.
- Find the numbers.
- Look for clue words (left, remaining, difference, more, less, gave away).
- Write the subtraction sentence.
- Solve and write the answer in a sentence.
Solved Examples
Example 1: Example 1: Mangoes eaten
Question: Priya had 43 mangoes. She ate 17. How many mangoes are left?
Think:
- “Ate” and “left” mean SUBTRACT
- 43 − 17: Ones: 3 < 7, borrow! 13 − 7 = 6. Tens: 3 − 1 = 2
Answer: Priya has 26 mangoes left.
Example 2: Example 2: How many more?
Question: Aman has 54 marbles. Kavi has 38 marbles. How many more marbles does Aman have?
Think:
- “How many more” means find the DIFFERENCE
- 54 − 38: Ones: 4 < 8, borrow! 14 − 8 = 6. Tens: 4 − 3 = 1
Answer: Aman has 16 more marbles than Kavi.
Example 3: Example 3: Money spent
Question: Meera had ₹75. She bought a book for ₹42. How much money is remaining?
Think:
- “Bought” and “remaining” mean SUBTRACT
- 75 − 42 = 33
Answer: Meera has ₹33 remaining.
Example 4: Example 4: Students left class
Question: There were 65 students in the hall. 28 students went to the playground. How many are still in the hall?
Think:
- “Went away” means SUBTRACT: 65 − 28
- Ones: 5 < 8, borrow! 15 − 8 = 7. Tens: 5 − 2 = 3
Answer: 37 students are still in the hall.
Example 5: Example 5: Balloons burst
Question: Dev had 50 balloons for a party. 23 balloons burst. How many are left?
Think:
- “Burst” means take away: 50 − 23
- Ones: 0 < 3, borrow! 10 − 3 = 7. Tens: 4 − 2 = 2
Answer: Dev has 27 balloons left.
Example 6: Example 6: Difference in runs
Question: Team A scored 87 runs. Team B scored 59 runs. What is the difference?
Think:
- 87 − 59: Ones: 7 < 9, borrow! 17 − 9 = 8. Tens: 7 − 5 = 2
Answer: The difference is 28 runs.
Example 7: Example 7: Neha’s stickers
Question: Neha had 72 stickers. She gave 34 to Ria and 15 to Aditi. How many does she have now?
Think:
- First: 72 − 34 = 38
- Then: 38 − 15 = 23
Answer: Neha has 23 stickers now.
Key Points to Remember
- Clue words: left, remaining, gave away, ate, spent, burst, less, more, difference.
- Always identify the bigger number (what you start with) and the smaller number (what is taken away).
- Write the subtraction sentence before solving.
- Write the answer in a complete sentence.
- “How many more” questions are also subtraction — find the difference.
Practice Problems
- Arjun had 68 crayons. He gave 29 to his friend. How many crayons are left?
- A tree had 81 apples. 45 were picked. How many are on the tree?
- Ria has 56 beads and Meera has 39 beads. How many more beads does Ria have?
- Kavi had ₹90 and spent ₹63 on a toy car. How much money is left?
- There were 74 birds on a wire. 38 flew away. How many are still on the wire?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How do I know a word problem needs subtraction?
Look for clue words like "left," "remaining," "gave away," "ate," "spent," "less than," or "how many more." These words signal that you need to take one number away from another.
Q2. What is the difference between "how many left" and "how many more"?
Both use subtraction. "How many left" means something was taken away. "How many more" means you are comparing two amounts to find the gap between them.
Q3. What if the problem has two subtractions?
Subtract one at a time. First subtract the first amount, then subtract the second amount from the result.
Q4. Can word problems mix addition and subtraction?
Yes. Some problems may say "got more" (add) and "gave away" (subtract) in the same story. Solve one step at a time.
Q5. Should I always write the answer in a sentence?
Yes. Write a complete sentence with the number and what it represents. Example: "Priya has 26 mangoes left." Not just "26."
Q6. How do I check my answer?
Add your answer to the number that was subtracted. The result should equal the starting number. If Priya had 43 and ate 17, answer is 26. Check: 26 + 17 = 43.
