Max Rescues Dragon Eggs: Subtract by Tens!

About this Grade 1 Subtracting Multiples Of 10 Drill

Subtracting multiples of 10 is a cornerstone skill that helps first graders build number sense and prepare for two-digit subtraction. When children can quickly subtract 10, 20, or 30 from a number, they're learning that the tens place works independently from the ones place—a crucial insight for future math. This skill appears constantly in real life: if your child has 45 stickers and gives away 10, they need this mental math. By practicing these problems, students strengthen their ability to recognize patterns in our base-10 number system, which makes larger calculations feel less intimidating. This foundation also builds confidence and helps students see math as logical and learnable rather than mysterious.

What your student will practice

• Subtract multiples of 10 from two-digit numbers with automaticity
• Recognize that subtracting tens doesn't change the ones digit
• Apply subtraction of multiples of 10 to solve word problems
• Explain their thinking when subtracting tens from any number

Common mistakes to watch for

Many first graders mistakenly subtract from the ones place instead of the tens place—for example, answering 45 − 10 = 44 instead of 35. You'll also see students confuse which digit to change, sometimes writing 45 − 10 = 15 by subtracting the entire 10 from both digits. Watch for hesitation or finger-counting; students should begin recognizing these problems as tens-place-only operations. If your child is still counting on their fingers for every problem, they may not yet grasp that the ones place stays put.