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This Mixed Add Subtract drill has 40 problems for Grade 2. Back To School theme. Answer key included.
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Max discovers scattered pencils, erasers, and notebooks everywhere! He must organize supplies before the first bell rings!
Standard: CCSS.MATH.2.OA.B.2
Preview
Page 1 — Drill
Page 2 — Answer Key
What's Included
About this Grade 2 Mixed Add Subtract Drill
By second grade, students need to move beyond simple addition or simple subtraction and handle both operations in a single problem. Mixed-add-subtract problems build flexible thinking—the ability to follow a sequence of steps and keep track of what happens to a number as it changes. This skill is crucial because real life rarely presents problems in isolation. When a child brings 12 pencils to school, loses 3, then finds 2 more, they're solving a mixed problem without even realizing it. Mastering this now strengthens working memory, boosts confidence with multi-step reasoning, and prepares second graders for word problems they'll encounter throughout elementary school. Students who can fluently handle these mixed operations develop stronger number sense and learn that mathematics is a tool for understanding their world.
What your student will practice
- Solve mixed-add-subtract problems left to right in correct sequence
- Regroup and carry over remainders accurately between operations
- Explain which operation to perform first by reading symbols carefully
- Apply mixed operations to real situations with two steps
Common mistakes to watch for
Many second graders struggle because they perform operations in the wrong order, adding when they should subtract first, or vice versa. Watch for students who solve 8 + 3 - 2 as 8 + 3 = 11, then forget to subtract the 2 entirely—they see two signs and get confused about sequence. Another common error is regrouping mistakes: a child might correctly add 7 + 5 = 12, but then when subtracting from that result, they lose track of the new number and revert to the original. You'll spot this when answers seem randomly small or when a child can do the add and subtract separately but fails when combined.
Use mealtime snack scenarios that naturally require two steps. Give your child a small pile of crackers (say, 10), have them add a few more (put 4 more on the plate), then eat some (remove 3). Ask them to count and tell you the final amount. Repeat with different numbers across a few days, and gradually have your child write down or say aloud what they did: '10 plus 4 equals 14, then 14 minus 3 equals 11.' This concrete, playful repetition trains their brain to follow the sequence without the pressure of a worksheet.