Subtraction speed test
A free 1-minute subtraction test: answer as many subtraction facts as you can before the clock runs out, then beat your best score.
🧒 Kids: how many can you answer in 1 minute? Tap Start the clock! ⏱️ and go! Then try to beat your best score. 🏆
Ready-made speed tests
- 1-minute test: within 5 · kindergarten
- 1-minute test: within 10 · the classic grade 1 test
- 1-minute test: from 10 · 10 − 6, 10 − 3
- 1-minute test: counting back · 15 − 2, 9 − 3
- 2-minute test: within 20 · end of grade 2
- 1-minute test: teen facts · 13 − 8, 16 − 9 and friends
- 3-minute challenge: 2-digit numbers · grade 2 and 3 mental maths
Which test for which grade?
- Kindergarten: within 5, only after lots of practice taking away real objects.
- Grade 1 (class 1): within 10 and taking away from 10. Common Core asks for fluency within 10 (1.OA.C.6).
- Grade 2 (class 2): within 20 and the teen facts. By the end of grade 2, children should know these facts from memory (2.OA.B.2).
- Grade 3 and up: 2-minute mixed tests within 20, and the 2-digit challenge to keep mental maths sharp.
What is a good score?
Three seconds a fact is 20 facts a minute, so 20 is the score that tells you the facts are remembered rather than counted. Use this as a rough guide for a 1-minute test on facts your child has already practiced:
| Correct in 1 minute | What it usually means | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | Most facts are still counted back on fingers. | Untimed practice on a smaller set, using “think addition”. |
| 10 to 19 | Many facts are known; some are still worked out. | Practice the yellow and red facts from the fact map, then test again. |
| 20 to 29 | Fluent: about 3 seconds or less per fact. | Move to the next set, such as within 20 or the teen facts. |
| 30 or more | Very quick recall. | Try 2-digit numbers and 3-digit subtraction. |
Typing on a phone or tablet takes time, so compare your child with their own earlier scores, not with other children. Accuracy also matters: 15 right out of 16 shows more progress than 20 right out of 30.
How the speed test works
- Pick the facts and the test length. One minute is enough for most children.
- Tap Start the clock. A fact appears; type the answer or tap the number pad, then OK.
- Keep going until time runs out. A wrong answer shows the right one for a moment, then the next fact appears.
- See the result. The score, how many were right, the facts to practice and a fact map. Your best score for each test is saved on this device.
How to get faster
- Use addition. Children who know 8 + 5 = 13 can answer 13 − 5 and 13 − 8 straight away. Practice the two together.
- Practice slowly first. Use the untimed subtraction practice on the facts the fact map shows in red.
- One test a day. A single 1-minute test daily beats five tests on a Sunday.
- Beat your own score. Write the score on a chart; one more than yesterday is a win.
Keep timed tests positive
Some children love racing the clock; others freeze. Make the speed test a personal challenge, not a grade: “Can you beat 14 today?” If your child is anxious or making lots of mistakes, switch back to untimed practice for a week. Speed follows once the facts are remembered.
For teachers: an online mad minute
Set up the test, press “Copy a link to these settings” and share the link. Each child takes the same kind of test and can print their result with their name and fact map. No logins, and no student data leaves the device. For a paper mad minute, use the subtraction facts worksheet.
More subtraction practice
- Subtraction practice: untimed rounds, missed facts repeat, a trick for every fact.
- Subtraction facts strategies: think addition, counting back and using 10.
- Subtraction chart to print and keep on the desk.
- Worksheets: subtraction facts · 2-digit subtraction · 3-digit subtraction
Back to subtraction for kids · 1st grade math · 2nd grade math
Last reviewed
Questions parents ask
What is a good score on a 1-minute subtraction test?
About 20 correct answers in one minute means your child answers each fact in roughly 3 seconds, the usual sign that the facts are memorised. Subtraction scores are often a little lower than addition scores at first, and that is normal.
How do I test my child's subtraction facts?
Use the speed test at the top of this page. Pick the facts they have learned, such as within 10, choose 1 minute and tap Start. The results show how many were right, the facts that were missed and a fact map of quick and slow facts.
Are timed subtraction tests bad for young children?
They can cause stress when used as a grade or a race against classmates. As a short personal challenge, after the facts have been practiced without a timer, most children enjoy beating their own best score. Stop if your child gets upset.
How can my child get faster at subtraction facts?
Learn the matching addition facts first, then practice “think addition”: 13 − 8 is 8 plus what makes 13? Practice missed facts without a timer, then do one 1-minute test a day and try to beat yesterday’s score.
What is a mad minute subtraction test?
A mad minute is a classroom drill where children answer as many facts as they can in one minute. This page is an online mad minute for subtraction: it marks every answer, shows the right answer for mistakes and saves a personal best.