5th Grade Math Subtraction Facts
Subtraction:
If your child does not have a specific 5th grade math skill below, click on a specific subtraction skill for ideas to teach your child. Teaching ideas are for busy parents to integrate throughout the day.
  Be able to answer subtraction problems (unlimited digits) in algorithm form with speed and accuracy.
Choose an appropriate strategy and equation for story problems.
 Know how to write and use the addition equation/algorithm.
(ex: 312 - 218: Round 312 down to 300 and 218 to 200, the difference between 300 and 200 is 100. I am left with 12 and 18, and the difference is 6, if I subtract the 6 from 100, I get a total of 94!)
Dear Parent,
 5th grade math will require your child to be quick and accurate while answering subtraction problems. If your child is still struggling, it is sooooo important to go back to relearn the strategies and spend more time practicing them. It is not unusual to need more practice, many times subtraction can be harder than multiplication or division for kids!
Put yourself in your child shoes, you are asked to solve this subtraction problem: 326-197. There are many ways to solve this problem. For arguement sake lets say your child chooses the traditional algorithum.
He/she lines up the problem and realizes that you can't take 7 from 6 so they borrow one from the tens column and changes the 6 to 16.Now they need to subtract 7 from 16. They move to the tens column and realize that you can't take 9 away from 1 so they borrow one from the hundreds column. They turn the 1 into 11 and subtract 9 from 11. Finally they move to the hundreds column and subtract 1 from 2. Ok so your child understands the process to solve the problem. But, can your child quickly and accurately solve each subtraction problem within the triple digit problem?
A child who has stratgies will rely on them to solve these problems quickly and accurately. They feel great about their math skills. A child who does not, uses their fingers to count and often gets the wrong answer because it is hard to keep track. This child begins to slowly dislike math. Can you see how important knowing subtraction facts can be?
Why do they have to make up their own story problems?
5th grade math requires kids to make up story problems using the four operations they already know--addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. The purpose for assigning them the task of devising their own word problems is to teach them what has to go into each problem. They also need to learn how to provide just enough information so that the problem-solver can take the clues given and solve the equation with the operation indicated in the problem.
Remember: if you don't use it you lose it!
Yours Truly,
The Crazy Math Mom
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