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

RookieRead and interpret directly.

Calculate: 96 ÷ 4

  • 24
  • 26
  • 22
  • 34

Answer: 24. Short division: 9 ÷ 4 = 2 r 1; bring down 6 to make 16; 16 ÷ 4 = 4. Answer 24.

ProCompare and infer.

Calculate 432 − 178.

  • 244
  • 254
  • 264
  • 274

Answer: 254. 432 − 178: exchange as needed. 12 − 8 = 4 (ones), 12 − 7 = 5 (tens after exchange), 3 − 1 = 2 (hundreds). Answer: 254.

GuruMulti-step reasoning.

A pupil writes the answer to 'How many seats in 8 rows of 13?' as 21. What's the main error?

  • The pupil added 8 + 13 instead of multiplying.
  • The pupil multiplied 8 × 13 wrong.
  • The pupil divided.
  • The pupil ignored the question.

Answer: The pupil added 8 + 13 instead of multiplying.. Equal groups → multiplication. 8 × 13 = 104. Pupil's 21 = 8 + 13 shows the operation-selection error.

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?
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