Complete the subtraction sentence - up to three digits: Example question
30 October 2026
Children often see subtraction sentences in word problems, especially when working with numbers up to three digits. It helps to break the question down into clear steps, so your child can see how each part of the calculation fits together.
Worked example
There were 245 apples in the basket. 128 apples were taken out. How many apples are left?
Complete the subtraction sentence: 245 − ___ = ___
Step 1: Write the subtraction sentence. 245 − 128 = ___
Step 2: Subtract the ones.
5 − 8 cannot be done, so borrow 1 ten from the tens place.
15 − 8 = 7
Step 3: Subtract the tens.
Now the tens digit is 3 (because 4 − 1 = 3).
3 − 2 = 1
Step 4: Subtract the hundreds. 2 − 1 = 1
Step 5: Write the answer. 245 − 128 = 117
Key insight: After working through this example, your child will be able to spot when to borrow and how to complete similar subtraction sentences in word problems. They can now try more questions like this to build confidence with three-digit subtraction.
