Max Maths, Year 4, Learn together, Subtracting 2- and 3-digit numbers using counting blocks and column method (1)

In 'Max Maths, Year 4', students learn how to subtract 2- and 3-digit numbers using two different methods: counting blocks and the column method. This particular lesson focuses on the subtraction of 2-digit numbers, providing a practical example for students to follow. Initially, the scenario involves a character named Jade who has 89 stamps and gives away 34 to a friend. To understand how many stamps Jade has left, students are encouraged to visualise the problem using counting blocks. They represent the total number of stamps with blocks and then remove the blocks that correspond to the number of stamps given away. After this process, it is shown that there are 55 small blocks remaining, indicating that Jade has 55 stamps left.

Following the hands-on counting blocks approach, the lesson then transitions to the column method, which is a more traditional arithmetic technique. The process is broken down into two clear steps. The first step involves subtracting the ones: from the number 89, students subtract 4 from 9 in the ones column, resulting in 5 ones. The second step is to subtract the tens: they subtract 3 tens from 8 tens, which equals 5 tens. By stacking these numbers in the correct columns and subtracting each column individually, students can easily see that 89 minus 34 equals 55. This step-by-step breakdown helps solidify their understanding of the column method for subtraction.