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Grade 1 · Maths · Lessons
Tens take tens
🔟tens➖take away🪵bundles0️⃣zero
Tens take tens.
The big ideaTake tens away from tens. What is left is tens too.

How it works

Tens are like ones, only bigger. 5 tens take away 4 tens is 1 ten.

Take the tens digits and add a zero.

Check by adding back.

0102030405060708090100-30-30startend
90 − 60: jump back 3 tens.

Example 1: Tens from tens

  1. 50 − 40 = ?
  2. 5 tens take away 4 tens.
  3. 1 ten is left, which is 10.
  4. So the answer is 10.

Example 2: A bigger one

  1. 90 − 60 = ?
  2. 9 tens take away 6 tens.
  3. 3 tens are left, which is 30.
  4. So the answer is 30.

Example 3: Take all the tens

  1. ? = 90 − 90
  2. 9 tens take away 9 tens.
  3. Nothing is left, which is 0.
  4. So the answer is 0.

Words to know

tens
Groups of ten.
take away
To make less.

Watch out

Try it

  1. 90 − 70 = ?
  2. 90 − 80 = ?
  3. ? = 70 − 50
Answers: 1. 20 · 2. 10 · 3. 20
For grown-upsUse bundles of ten sticks: take some bundles away and count what is left.
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