Max Rescues the Volleyball Team: Subtraction Champion

About this Grade 1 Subtracting Multiples Of 10 Drill

Subtracting multiples of 10 is a cornerstone skill that helps first graders recognize patterns in our number system and build confidence with mental math. When children can quickly solve problems like 50 - 20 or 70 - 10, they're developing number sense and understanding how tens work together—a foundation for all future addition and subtraction. This skill also makes real-world math faster and easier: counting back change, tracking score in a game of volleyball, or figuring out how many crayons are left in a box. At ages 6-7, brains are naturally pattern-seeking, and multiples of 10 are the clearest, most visual patterns to explore. Mastering this skill reduces anxiety around math and prepares students for two-digit subtraction with regrouping later on. Practice with multiples of 10 also strengthens a child's ability to work with place value, which touches nearly every math concept they'll encounter.

What your student will practice

• Quickly subtract two-digit multiples of 10 without counting on fingers
• Recognize and apply the pattern that only tens digits change
• Solve word problems requiring subtraction of multiples of 10
• Explain subtraction strategies using tens language and place value

Common mistakes to watch for

Many Grade 1 students confuse the tens and ones places when subtracting multiples of 10, accidentally subtracting from the ones column instead of the tens. For example, they might solve 60 - 20 by writing 40 but then add a stray 0 to get 400, or they'll count individual ones instead of recognizing they're removing whole groups of ten. Another common error is writing the answer correctly but not being able to explain it—they guess rather than understanding why 60 - 20 = 40. Watch for students who slow down dramatically or recount on their fingers for every problem, which signals they haven't internalized the tens pattern yet.