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Kindergarten · Math

Introduction to Subtraction (Part-Whole-Part) using Number Bonds

Free sample questions, a clear explanation, and 5 practice skills with an AI tutor that guides without giving the answer away.

The Great Take-Away Adventure!

Hi, Math Explorer! Have you ever had a bunch of yummy snacks, like apple slices, and then shared some with a friend? When you give some away, you have fewer left for yourself. That's called subtraction! It's just a fancy word for "taking away."

Let's pretend you have 5 apple slices. That's your whole group. If you eat 2 of them (yum!), those 2 slices are one part. The slices you have left are the other part. Subtraction helps us find out how many are in that other part!

Meet the Number Bond!

A number bond is like a map for our numbers. It shows us the whole number and the two parts that make it. The big circle on top is for the whole (the total we start with). The two smaller circles below are for the parts.

Key Takeaway! 🔑

In subtraction, we start with the WHOLE group, take away one PART, and find the other PART that is left!

Let's Solve a Puzzle!

Here's a story problem: There are 7 birds on a branch. If 2 fly away, how many are left? Let’s be subtraction detectives and solve it together!

We can use our number bond map and a subtraction sentence to find the answer.

Step 1: Find the Whole. We started with 7 birds in total. So, 7 is our whole. Let's put 7 in the big circle of our number bond.
Step 2: Find the Part that Goes Away. We know 2 birds flew away. That's the part we are taking away. Let's put 2 in one of the small part circles.
Step 3: Find the Missing Part. The other small circle is empty! That's the number of birds left on the branch. We need to find this missing part.
Step 4: Write a Subtraction Sentence. We can write this story using numbers and signs! It looks like this:
7 - 2 = ?
This means "7 take away 2 equals what?" If we count back from 7 (six, five!), we land on 5. So, 5 is our missing part!

There are 5 birds left on the branch! Great job, detective!

Sample questions

1. Look at the 5 red apples. If 2 apples roll away, how many apples are left?

○ 2

✓ 3

○ 5

○ 7

Answer: 3 — Count the apples that are still there.

2. There are 7 blue birds on a branch. 3 birds fly away. How many birds are still on the branch?

○ 3

○ 7

✓ 4

○ 10

Answer: 4 — Start with 7. Take away 3. Count what is left.

3. You have 6 yummy cookies. You eat 1 cookie. How many cookies are left?

○ 1

○ 6

○ 7

✓ 5

Answer: 5 — If you had 6 and ate 1, how many are still there?

Skills in this topic

Use concrete objects to take away from a group and find how many are left (difference) within 10.
Represent subtraction situations pictorially using part-whole-part models.
Write subtraction equations (e.g., 5 - 2 = ?) to match concrete or pictorial representations.
Solve simple subtraction problems within 10 using number bonds.
There are 7 birds on a branch. If 2 fly away, explain how you would find out how many are left using a number bond and a subtraction sentence.

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