MathGrade 1ages 6–7
➖ Take away to 10
Subtraction within 10 is the first place many first graders quietly start adding instead — because for a beginner, both operations just feel like "combine two numbers."
Try this lesson freeNo card needed. The first lesson is free.
Download on the App StoreWhat your child learns
- Subtract means take away.
- Start with what you have, take some, count the rest.
- 5 take away 2 is not 5 plus 2.
- You can count back: 5, 4, 3.
The mistake most kids make here
Adding instead of taking away.
Try one question
There were 5. We took 2. How many left?
5 − 2
- 3
- 7
- 2
Answer
3 — That's it. Count back from 5: four, three. 3 left.
How Maya teaches it
Your child tells Maya what they did in class. She teaches this topic at her desk, asks questions with tappable answers, and when the answer is wrong she explains why that answer was tempting instead of saying “try again”. She remembers what did not land and comes back to it.
Your child has it when they can: 5 take away 2 — say how many are left.
How to help at home
The words "take away" have to mean something physical before they mean something written. If your child sees "5 − 2" and answers "7", they are very likely adding the two numbers, not misreading the minus sign.
Use real snacks: put five crackers on a plate, say "we have five," then physically remove two and eat them (or set them aside) before asking how many are left. Watching the pile actually shrink is the missing step between the symbols and the meaning.
When you catch the mistake, say: "you added those two numbers — let's check by taking two away from the plate instead." Naming what they did (added instead of took away) is more useful than just giving the right answer.
Counting back is the next skill: from 5, saying "four, three" to reach 3. A child who can count back three steps from any number under 10 without using fingers has largely got it.
Questions parents ask
- Why does my child add instead of subtract even though they know the minus sign?
- At this age both operations can feel like "do something with these two numbers." The fix is physically removing objects — crackers, coins, toys — so "take away" has a felt meaning before it's just a symbol.
- Should my child use fingers to subtract?
- Fingers are a fine tool at this stage, especially for counting back (5, then 4, then 3). The goal over time is counting back mentally, not banning fingers before the child is ready.
- What is "counting back" and why does it matter for subtraction?
- Counting back means starting at the bigger number and counting downward by the number being subtracted — 5, then 4, then 3 for 5 minus 2. It is usually faster and more reliable than counting on fingers from zero.
- How does Maya explain a subtraction mistake instead of just marking it wrong?
- When a child answers as if they added, Maya says so directly — "you added those two numbers" — and walks back to counting down from the bigger number, instead of only showing the correct total.
No card needed. The first lesson is free.
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