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This Subtracting Multiples Of 10 drill has 40 problems for Grade 1. Pandas theme. Answer key included.
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Max discovered baby pandas trapped in the bamboo forest! He must solve subtraction problems to find the path home before dark!
Standard: CCSS.MATH.1.NBT.C.6
Preview
Page 1 — Drill
Page 2 — Answer Key
What's Included
About this Grade 1 Subtracting Multiples Of 10 Drill
Subtracting multiples of 10 is a foundation skill that helps first graders recognize patterns in our number system and build confidence with larger numbers. When children learn that 45 − 10 = 35, they're not just doing math—they're discovering that the ones place stays the same while only the tens place changes. This pattern recognition develops the mental flexibility kids need for two-digit subtraction later on. At ages 6-7, students are naturally curious about how numbers work together, and mastering this skill makes counting down by tens feel like solving a puzzle rather than memorizing facts. Real-world moments—like having 50 pennies and spending 10, or removing 10 blocks from a tower of 60—show kids that subtraction by tens is predictable and logical. This builds their number sense and prepares them for more complex problems in second grade.
What your student will practice
- Recognize that subtracting 10 changes only the tens digit
- Solve subtraction problems with multiples of 10 fluently within 100
- Apply tens-place reasoning to real counting situations
- Explain why the ones place stays the same when subtracting 10
Common mistakes to watch for
Many first graders mistakenly subtract 10 from both the tens and ones places, turning 34 − 10 into 23 instead of 24. Others confuse the digit positions and might write 34 − 10 = 14, treating the problem like they're removing entire numbers rather than just the tens. Watch for hesitation or counting-on-fingers for every problem—this signals the student hasn't grasped the tens-place pattern yet. If your child is checking by adding back or seems uncertain about where the ones digit goes, they need more concrete practice with base-ten blocks or actual objects grouped in tens.
Use a real staircase or number line taped on the floor (labeled 0 to 100 by tens: 10, 20, 30, etc.) and have your child take giant steps backward by 10 while you call out problems like '50 − 10, go!' This physical movement helps cement the idea that subtracting 10 is one giant step down in the tens, not a complicated calculation. Repeat for 5–10 problems, and celebrate when they notice they always land on a number ending in the same digit they started with—like pandas naturally remembering their paths through bamboo groves, your child will internalize the pattern.