Column Subtraction (Year 4)
Practise column subtraction within Arithmetic for Year 4, with worked examples and instant feedback.
The questions below are generated to match the National Curriculum for Year 4 and get harder as you progress from Rookie to Guru.
Worked examples
What is 32 + 68?
- 90
- 100
- 110
- 96
Answer: 100. 32 + 68 = 100. This is a classic number bond — 32 and 68 complete a hundred.
Find the mistake in this calculation: 423 + 219 = 632.
- The carry from the tens column was missed.
- The hundreds were added wrong.
- The ones were added wrong.
- The answer is correct.
Answer: The carry from the tens column was missed.. 3 + 9 = 12, so a 1 is carried to the tens. The pupil added 2 + 1 = 3 in the tens column, ignoring the carry. The correct answer is 642.
Mia estimates that 297 + 489 is 'about 800'. Is her estimate reasonable? Why?
- Yes — 297 rounds to 300, 489 rounds to 500, and 300 + 500 = 800.
- No — the actual answer is much higher.
- Yes — she added the hundreds digits and got 8.
- No — she should have rounded up both numbers.
Answer: Yes — 297 rounds to 300, 489 rounds to 500, and 300 + 500 = 800.. Round and add: 300 + 500 = 800. The actual sum is 786 — well within an estimate.
Related skills
Frequently asked questions
- What is column subtraction?
- Practise column subtraction within Arithmetic for Year 4, with worked examples and instant feedback.
- How can my child practise column subtraction at home?
- Work through the examples below, then start a free adaptive session. Northstar adjusts the difficulty automatically and tracks mastery over time.
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