Subtraction Word Problems (Grade 3)
Subtraction word problems describe real-life situations where you need to find what is left, the difference between two amounts, or how many more one group has than another.
Clue words like "left", "remaining", "difference", "how many more", "how many fewer", "less than" tell us that subtraction is needed.
What is Subtraction Word Problems (Grade 3) - Class 3 Maths (Addition and Subtraction (Grade 3))?
To solve a subtraction word problem:
- Read the problem carefully.
- Identify the numbers and what is being asked.
- Look for clue words that signal subtraction.
- Write the number sentence (e.g., 845 − 378 = ?).
- Solve using column subtraction.
- Write the answer with the correct unit.
Solved Examples
Example 1: How Many Are Left?
Question: A bakery made 475 biscuits. They sold 289 biscuits. How many biscuits are left?
Think:
- "Left" → subtract: 475 − 289
- Ones: 5 − 9 → borrow → 15 − 9 = 6
- Tens: 6 (was 7) − 8 → borrow → 16 − 8 = 8
- Hundreds: 3 (was 4) − 2 = 1
Answer: 186 biscuits are left.
Example 2: Finding the Difference
Question: Aman scored 568 marks and Priya scored 492 marks. How many more marks did Aman score?
Think:
- "How many more" → subtract: 568 − 492
- Ones: 8 − 2 = 6
- Tens: 6 − 9 → borrow → 16 − 9 = 7
- Hundreds: 4 (was 5) − 4 = 0
Answer: Aman scored 76 more marks than Priya.
Example 3: Money Problem
Question: Ria had ₹800. She bought a school bag for ₹545. How much money does she have now?
Think:
- 800 − 545
- Ones: 0 − 5 → borrow chain → 10 − 5 = 5
- Tens: 9 (was 10, gave 1) − 4 = 5
- Hundreds: 7 (was 8, gave 1) − 5 = 2
Answer: Ria has ₹255 now.
Example 4: Distance Problem
Question: The distance from Delhi to Jaipur is 281 km. Kavi has already driven 156 km. How much farther does he need to drive?
Think:
- "How much farther" → subtract: 281 − 156
- Ones: 1 − 6 → borrow → 11 − 6 = 5
- Tens: 7 (was 8) − 5 = 2
- Hundreds: 2 − 1 = 1
Answer: Kavi needs to drive 125 km more.
Example 5: Comparison Problem
Question: A library has 634 English books and 478 Hindi books. How many fewer Hindi books are there?
Think:
- "How many fewer" → subtract: 634 − 478
- Ones: 4 − 8 → borrow → 14 − 8 = 6
- Tens: 2 (was 3) − 7 → borrow → 12 − 7 = 5
- Hundreds: 5 (was 6) − 4 = 1
Answer: There are 156 fewer Hindi books.
Example 6: Weight Problem
Question: A sack of rice weighs 750 g. After cooking, 485 g of rice was used. How much rice is remaining?
Think:
- 750 − 485
- Ones: 0 − 5 → borrow → 10 − 5 = 5
- Tens: 4 (was 5) − 8 → borrow → 14 − 8 = 6
- Hundreds: 6 (was 7) − 4 = 2
Answer: 265 g of rice is remaining.
Example 7: Two-Step Problem
Question: Meera had 500 stickers. She gave 175 to Aditi and 138 to Neha. How many stickers does Meera have now?
Think:
- Total given = 175 + 138 = 313
- Remaining = 500 − 313 = 187
Answer: Meera has 187 stickers now.
Example 8: Finding the Original Amount
Question: After spending ₹365, Dev has ₹235 left. How much money did he have at first?
Think:
- Original − Spent = Left
- Original = Left + Spent = 235 + 365 = 600
Answer: Dev had ₹600 at first.
Example 9: Attendance Problem
Question: A school has 912 students. On a rainy day, only 678 students came. How many students were absent?
Think:
- 912 − 678
- Ones: 2 − 8 → borrow → 12 − 8 = 4
- Tens: 0 (was 1) − 7 → borrow → 10 − 7 = 3
- Hundreds: 8 (was 9) − 6 = 2
Answer: 234 students were absent.
Example 10: Comparison of Prices
Question: A bicycle costs ₹895 and a scooter toy costs ₹567. How much more does the bicycle cost?
Think:
- 895 − 567
- Ones: 5 − 7 → borrow → 15 − 7 = 8
- Tens: 8 (was 9) − 6 = 2
- Hundreds: 8 − 5 = 3
Answer: The bicycle costs ₹328 more.
Real-World Applications
Types of subtraction word problems:
- Take-away: 'Had 475, sold 289. How many left?' → 475 − 289 = 186.
- Comparison: 'A scored 568, B scored 492. How many more did A score?' → 568 − 492 = 76.
- Missing addend: 'After spending ₹365, Dev has ₹235 left. How much did he start with?' → 235 + 365 = 600 (uses addition to find the whole).
- Two-step: 'Had 500, gave 175 to A and 138 to B. How many left?' → 500 − (175 + 138) = 500 − 313 = 187.
Subtraction word problems develop critical thinking. Students must decide which operation to use, set up the correct number sentence, and solve step by step. Always re-read the problem to make sure the answer makes sense.
Key Points to Remember
- Clue words for subtraction: left, remaining, difference, how many more, how many fewer, less than, took away.
- Always write the number sentence before solving.
- Use column subtraction with regrouping if needed.
- Write the answer with the correct unit.
- For two-step problems, break into smaller steps.
- Check your answer by adding the difference to the smaller number.
Practice Problems
- A fruit shop had 625 oranges. They sold 347. How many are left?
- Kavi has ₹750 and Arjun has ₹486. How much more does Kavi have?
- A train has 800 seats. 563 are occupied. How many are empty?
- Priya had 456 beads. She used 289 for a necklace. How many beads are left?
- School A has 712 students and School B has 568 students. What is the difference?
- After spending ₹425, Neha has ₹175 left. How much did she start with?
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. How do I know a word problem needs subtraction?
Look for clue words: left, remaining, how many more, how many fewer, difference, less than, took away, spent. These indicate subtraction.
Q2. What if the problem uses 'more' — is it always subtraction?
'How many more does A have than B' means subtraction (A − B). But 'A got 50 more' means addition. Read carefully to decide.
Q3. How do I solve two-step word problems?
Break the problem into two parts. Solve the first part, then use that result to solve the second part.
Q4. What if I need to find the starting amount?
If the problem says 'after spending X, Y is left', then the starting amount = Y + X. This requires addition, even though the situation describes subtraction.
Q5. Should I estimate before solving?
Yes. Estimation helps you check if your final answer makes sense. If your estimate is 300 and your exact answer is 30, you likely made an error.
Q6. What units should I use in my answer?
Use the same unit mentioned in the problem — rupees (₹), kilometres (km), grams (g), students, etc.
Q7. Can the answer to a word problem be 0?
Yes. If both quantities are equal, the difference is 0. For example, if a class has 35 boys and 35 girls, the difference is 0.
Q8. How do I decide which number goes on top in column subtraction?
The larger number always goes on top (minuend). In 'How many more does 568 have than 492?', put 568 on top and subtract 492.
Related Topics
- Subtraction of 3-Digit Numbers
- Addition Word Problems (Grade 3)
- Addition of 3-Digit Numbers
- Addition Without Regrouping (3-Digit)
- Addition With Regrouping (3-Digit)
- Subtraction With Regrouping (3-Digit)
- Subtraction Without Regrouping (3-Digit)
- Mental Math (Grade 3)
- Adding 4 or More Numbers
- Checking Addition and Subtraction
- Mixed Operations (Grade 3)
- Mixed Word Problems (Grade 3)
