Let's practice regrouping (borrowing) in subtraction problems.

For this activity, you use lollipops, a pack of gummy bears, a pack of marshmallows, and a pack of chocolate chips. Alternatively, you can use what might be available in your kitchen, such as dried beans, corn kernels, uncooked grains of rice, and banana chips in place of the lollipops, gummy bears, marshmallows, and chocolate chips. You will also use blank index cards, a black marker, a clean sheet of paper, and a pen.

Take out nine blank index cards. Write the numbers 1 to 9 on the cards, one numeral on each card. Then put the cards facedown on the table. They can be in any random order. Choose three or four cards and write down the numbers on the sheet of paper. Then put the index cards back.

Now you'll pick for your second number. Again, pick three or four random numbers and write down those numbers on the paper. Pick the number with a greater (larger) value and subtract the one with the lesser (smaller) value. Use the treats to subtract.

The lollipops will represent the thousands place, and the marshmallows will represent the hundreds place. The gummy bears will represent the tens place, and the chocolate chips will represent the ones place. (You will sometimes see the terms "ones column", "tens column", "hundreds column" and "thousands column" used.)

For example, you picked out 7,561 as your greater number and 982 as your lesser number. Put seven lollipops together. Beside them, put five marshmallows, six gummy bears and one chocolate chip. From there, subtract the correct number of candies from the pile.

In this example, you have to regroup. One gummy bear will equal ten chocolate chips. Take away one gummy bear from the tens. Add ten chocolate chips from your supplies and put them with the ones. Now you can subtract the ones place. Write down your answer on the sheet of paper.

Next, you would have to regroup in the tens place. One marshmallow will equal ten gummy bears. Trade the same way you did for the ones place. Again, write your answer on the sheet of paper.

Lastly, you need to regroup in the hundreds place. One lollipop will equal ten marshmallows. Write your answer on the sheet of paper.

Try the activity several times until you get the hang of regrouping. You can enjoy the treats afterward.

Ready to move on to the next lesson?
 Column Subtraction and Two Regroupings