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Column addition and subtraction – practice for Years 3–5

Sample questions on Column addition and subtraction with the right answer and a worked solution, from easy to hard. In the Pickles Academy app a child gets new questions of the same kind every time, so they can't just learn the answers by heart.

Subject
Maths
Year
Years 3–5
Curriculum area
Number and algebra

Question types: Column addition and subtraction

Rule: Column addition and subtraction

Write the numbers in columns: ones under ones, tens under tens.

Start with the ones. If you get 10 or more, write the ones and carry 1 to the next column.

Example: 284 + 707: 4 + 7 = 11 (write 1, carry 1), 8 + 0 + 1 = 9, 2 + 7 = 9 → 991

Watch out: Check a subtraction: add the number you took away to the answer; you must get the first number.

Sample questions

  1. Question 1 Easy

    Work out in columns: 460 − 210

    Show the solution
    Answer: 250

    How it works: Subtract in columns starting from the ones. Check by adding: 250 + 210 = 460

  2. Question 2 Normal

    Work out in columns: 460 + 461

    Show the solution
    Answer: 921

    How it works: Add in columns starting from the ones and carry to the next place: 460 + 461 = 921

  3. Question 3 Hard

    Work out in columns: 4608 − 2106

    Show the solution
    Answer: 2502

    How it works: Subtract in columns starting from the ones. Check by adding: 2502 + 2106 = 4608

Related topics

All Maths topics

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