Make 10 subtraction strategy

Use 10 to subtract facts like 14 − 6: go back to 10 first, or take from the 10. Practice for kids, parent help below.

🧒 Kids: go back to 10!

Take away to 10 first, then the rest. Tap Practice!

▶ Practice ⏱️ 1-minute challenge

Teen facts to solve with 10

  1. 13 − 5 = 8
  2. 14 − 6 = 8
  3. 15 − 7 = 8
  4. 12 − 8 = 4
  5. 16 − 9 = 7
  6. 11 − 3 = 8

💡 Trick: 14 − 6? 14 − 4 = 10, then 2 more: 8!

More facts: Within 10 · Counting back · Counting up · Fact families · Using 10 · Within 20

For parents and teachers ↓

This part is for grown-ups: the trick that makes these facts easy, pictures to draw, what to say, common mistakes, questions with answers and a free worksheet.

The trick: go back to 10, then take the rest

The hardest subtraction facts are the teen facts that cross 10, like 13 − 5 or 15 − 7. The make 10 strategy splits them into two easy steps. First take away enough to get back to 10: for 14 − 6, take 4 to reach 10. Then take away what is left of the 6, which is 2: 10 − 2 = 8. A second version, “take from ten”, subtracts from the 10 and adds back the ones: 14 − 6 = (10 − 6) + 4 = 8.

Patterns to spot

See it: pictures to draw with your child

Draw these on paper or a whiteboard. Seeing the counters makes the fact stick.

14 is a full ten frame and 4 more. Cross out the 4 extra, then 2 from the ten: 14 − 6 = 8.
56789101112131415−4−2
On a number line: hop back 4 to reach 10, then 2 more to 8.

Facts you already know

There are 36 teen facts from 11 − 2 to 18 − 9 where the answer crosses back below 10. Every one of them works with this strategy, and the second step always uses a pair that makes 10, which children practiced in kindergarten. Doubles help too: 16 − 8 = 8 because 8 + 8 = 16.

In real life: Use 10 when counting money: “You have a 10 note and 3 coins: 13. You spend 5. Pay the 3 coins first, then 2 from the 10. You have 8 left.”

Worked examples

Example 1: 13 − 4

  1. 13 is 10 and 3.
  2. Take away the 3 to get back to 10.
  3. You still need to take away 1 more (4 = 3 + 1).
  4. 10 − 1 = 9.
  5. So 13 − 4 = 9.

Example 2: take from ten: 15 − 8

  1. 15 is 10 and 5.
  2. Take the 8 from the 10: 10 − 8 = 2.
  3. Add back the 5 ones: 2 + 5 = 7.
  4. So 15 − 8 = 7.

Example 3: check with addition

  1. 17 − 9.
  2. Back to 10: 17 − 7 = 10, then take 2 more: 8.
  3. Check with a fact family: 8 + 9 = 17.
  4. Correct.

Common mistakes

Splitting the wrong number14 − 6: splits 14 into 6 and 8 and gets confused.Fix: split the number being taken away: 6 = 4 + 2.
Forgetting the second step14 − 6: takes away 4 and answers 10.Fix: you took away 4, but 6 means taking 2 more: 10 − 2 = 8.
Adding instead of taking away the rest13 − 5: 13 − 3 = 10, then 10 + 2 = 12.Fix: the 2 is still being taken away: 10 − 2 = 8.

What to say to your child

A short script for your first session. Pause after each line and let your child answer.

  1. “What is 14 − 6? Let’s use a ten frame. How much is 14?” (A full ten and 4 more.)
  2. “Take away the 4 extras first. How many have you taken?” (4.)
  3. “We need to take 6. How many more?” (2.)
  4. “Take 2 from the full ten. What’s left?” (8!)
  5. “So 14 − 6 = 8. Back to 10, then the rest.”

Questions to try (answers below)

Ask these out loud or write them down. The last one is a stretch.

  1. 12 − 3
  2. 13 − 5
  3. 14 − 7
  4. 15 − 6
  5. 11 − 4
  6. 16 − 9
  7. 17 − 8
  8. Sam has 15 stickers and gives away 7. How many are left?
  9. Stretch: 42 − 5
Show the answers
  1. 9
  2. 8
  3. 7
  4. 9
  5. 7
  6. 7
  7. 9
  8. 8 stickers
  9. 37

Games to play at home

Egg box tens

Use two egg boxes cut to tens frames. Fill to 13, take away 5, and talk through both steps.

Coin change

Use a 10 coin and some 1 coins to act out teen take-aways.

Cards to 10

Turn over two cards; if they make 10, say the matching subtraction: 10 − 3 = 7.

A 5-day plan for subtracting using 10

Ten minutes a day is enough. Short, regular practice helps facts stick far better than one long session.

Next week, repeat the round in the practice tool and compare the fact map. When most facts are green, move on to the next page.

By grade

Grade 1 (1.OA.C.6) lists decomposing a number leading to a ten as a subtraction strategy, with 13 − 4 = 13 − 3 − 1 = 9 as the example. Grade 2 (2.OA.B.2) knows these facts from memory. The same thinking helps with 2-digit subtraction in grade 2. In India, this appears in class 2 maths.

More for each grade: Grade 1 math and the CBSE class 1 maths guide; Grade 2 math and the CBSE class 2 maths guide.

What comes next

When the teen facts feel easy, put everything together with subtraction within 20, then move on to 2-digit subtraction, where the same idea crosses tens: 52 − 7 = 52 − 2 − 5 = 45. The addition partner of this page is make 10 for addition.

Worksheet and more practice

Print a free worksheet with an answer key, or keep practicing online with the subtraction practice trainer.

← Fact familiesWithin 20 →

More: subtraction for kids · subtraction facts strategies · subtraction chart · number bonds

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Questions parents ask

What is the make 10 strategy for subtraction?

Splitting a subtraction so it goes through 10. For 14 − 6, take away 4 to reach 10, then take away 2 more: 8.

What is the take from ten strategy?

Subtracting from the 10 and adding back the ones. 15 − 8: 10 − 8 = 2, then add the 5 ones: 7.

Which subtraction facts use make 10?

The teen facts that cross 10, such as 13 − 5, 15 − 7 and 17 − 9. They are the hardest facts within 20.

What grade learns subtracting using 10?

Grade 1 learns it as a strategy (1.OA.C.6), and grade 2 practices until the facts are known from memory (2.OA.B.2).

Is this the same as decomposing?

Yes. Decomposing means breaking a number into parts. Here the number taken away is broken into two parts so the first part reaches 10.