Math Worksheets · Free 13-page pack
Free 2-Digit Subtraction with Regrouping Worksheets PDF
For grades 1 to 2, this 13-page pack gives students two-digit subtraction problems that require regrouping. The vertical equations include cases such as 93 - 78 and 20 - 15, where a ten must be exchanged for ten ones. Six practice pages are paired with an answer key.
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Practice this skill on screen30 questions in three levels (easy, medium, hard) with instant feedback. Nothing to install.Get the whole set: 7 packs in one zipAddition and subtraction worksheet packs. Grades K–3: fact fluency, regrouping and word problems. US Letter PDFs with answer keys, 287 KB.
What you get in this download
Six pages of vertical two-digit subtraction appear in this 13-page US Letter PDF, followed by the matching answer key. Practice pages 2, 3, and 7 each show 20 equations; values range from 14 to 97, with problems such as 20 - 15 and 93 - 87. Other practice pages follow the same equation style. Students have Name and Date lines. The answer key spans pages 8 to 13.
Trading one ten for ten ones
In two-digit subtraction, each number is made of tens and ones. When the top number has fewer ones than the bottom number, rename one ten as ten ones. The total value does not change: 7 tens and 2 ones can become 6 tens and 12 ones. Then subtract the ones and tens in their places. This exchange explains why regrouping works instead of treating digits as unrelated marks.
Take 72 − 68. There are 2 ones, so there are not enough ones to remove 8. Exchange one of the 7 tens; now there are 6 tens and 12 ones. Subtract 8 ones from 12 to get 4, then subtract 6 tens from 6 tens to get 0 tens. The answer is 4. Check by adding 4 and 68; the sum returns to 72.
Worked example 1
Solve 20 − 15.
Rename 20 as 1 ten and 10 ones. Take away 5 ones, leaving 5 ones and the ten. Then remove the ten; 5 remain.
Answer: 5
Worked example 2
Solve 93 − 78.
Trade one ten so 9 tens 3 ones becomes 8 tens 13 ones. Then 13 − 8 = 5 and 8 − 7 = 1 ten.
Answer: 15
Worked example 3
Solve 62 − 49.
Regroup 6 tens 2 ones as 5 tens 12 ones. Subtract ones: 12 − 9 = 3. Subtract tens: 5 − 4 = 1.
Answer: 13
How to teach this skill
Model with base-ten blocks
Build the top number with tens rods and unit cubes. For 72 − 68, exchange one rod for ten cubes, then remove eight cubes and six rods. The leftover pieces show why the exchange preserves value.
Trade on a place-value mat
Write tens and ones in separate columns. When the ones column is short, cross out one ten and record ten additional ones. Have the learner say the equivalent amount before subtracting so the regrouping step has meaning.
Connect trade to expanded form
Write 72 as 70 + 2, then rename it as 60 + 12. Subtract the ones and tens from those parts. This gives students a way to explain the written regrouping marks using equivalent sums and the unchanged total value.
Check by addition
After solving a problem such as 93 − 78, add the difference to 78. If the sum is 93, the subtraction is consistent. This inverse check can expose a missed trade or an error in the ones column.
Works well for
Classroom and home ideas
Check subtraction-fact readiness
Before assigning a full regrouping page, try a few subtraction facts within 20 without regrouping. If those are not fluent yet, review them briefly, then model one exchange with tens and ones before moving into the vertical problems. This helps separate a regrouping error from a basic subtraction-fact error.
Concrete regrouping practice
Pair a vertical equation with blocks so a learner can act out exchanging one ten. Move to the written method after the leftover pieces match the recorded difference.
Notice a zero in the answer
Use 20 − 15 to discuss why a two-digit starting number can leave only 5. Regrouping makes the ten visible as ten ones before the subtraction is completed.
Check subtraction with addition
After completing a small set, ask students to choose one answer and add it to the subtrahend. The answer key supports checking the remaining equations.
What usually goes wrong
Subtracting 8 from 2 in 72 - 68 and writing 6 in the ones place.
There are not enough ones, so rename one ten as ten ones. Then 12 - 8 = 4, and the remaining tens are 6 - 6 = 0. The difference is 4.
Changing 93 to 83 after trading in 93 - 78, but leaving the ones digit at 3.
The trade renames 9 tens 3 ones as 8 tens 13 ones. Record both changed places, then subtract 13 - 8 and 8 - 7 to get 15.
Writing 15 for 20 - 15 by subtracting the smaller digit from the larger in each column.
Tens and ones have separate values, so do not reverse digits in each column. Rename 20 as 1 ten and 10 ones. Subtract 5 ones, then the remaining ten, to get 5.
Getting 23 for 62 - 49 by trading a ten for ten ones but not reducing the tens.
A trade renames 6 tens 2 ones as 5 tens 12 ones. Subtract 9 from 12 to get 3, then 4 from 5 tens to get 1 ten. The difference is 13, and 49 + 13 = 62.
Questions people ask
How do you subtract two-digit numbers with regrouping?
Line up the tens and ones. If the top ones digit is smaller, exchange one ten for ten ones. Subtract the ones, then subtract the remaining tens. For 72 − 68, rename 72 as 6 tens and 12 ones; the result is 4.
How can I teach regrouping in two-digit subtraction?
Begin with tens rods and unit cubes so the child can rename a ten as ten ones. Model a problem where the ones are insufficient, then record the same trade in a tens-and-ones chart. Gradually connect the blocks to the crossed-out digit and the new ones value.
How can I verify a two-digit subtraction answer?
Use addition as the reverse operation. If 93 minus 78 gives 15, combine 15 and 78; their sum should be 93. A mismatch points to an exchange slip or a column error, so revisit the trade and computation with the original equation in view.
What is included in this 2-digit subtraction with regrouping worksheet pack?
A cover and twelve more pages make up this 13-page US Letter PDF. Six sheets list vertical two-digit subtraction, and the matching solutions are collected afterward. Each of Practice pages 2, 3, and 7 has twenty equations, including 20 - 15 and 93 - 87. Students can fill the Name and Date lines.
Is this 2-digit subtraction with regrouping worksheet pack free?
Yes. There is no charge, and no registration is required. The supplied format is a US Letter-sized PDF; A4 and PNG editions are not part of the download. Its answers are gathered in the key on PDF pages 8 to 13.
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