What Are Subtraction Input/Output Tables?
Subtraction tables show us how numbers change when we subtract!
These special tables have an "input" number (the number we start with) and an "output" number (the result after subtracting). Sometimes we need to find the missing number in the table - like a fun math puzzle!
How to Solve Subtraction Tables
1️⃣ Look at the numbers you know in the table
2️⃣ Find the pattern - is the same number being subtracted each time?
3️⃣ Fill in the missing number by doing the subtraction
Let's Practice Together!
Example 1: Cookie Jar Mystery
Every day, Sam eats some cookies from the jar. Can you help complete the table?
| Cookies in Jar (Input) | Cookies Eaten | Cookies Left (Output) |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | 5 | 20 |
| 38 | 5 | |
| 42 | 5 |
Example 2: Balloon Pop Game
At the carnival, balloons pop at different rates. Complete the table:
| Balloons Start (Input) | Balloons Popped | Balloons Left (Output) |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 35 | |
| 64 | 12 | |
| 8 | 29 |
Parent Tips 🌟
- Make it real: Use physical objects like buttons or blocks to create live input/output tables your child can manipulate.
- Daily practice: Turn everyday situations into subtraction tables ("If we have 15 apples and eat 3, how many are left?").
- Celebrate mistakes: Wrong answers are learning opportunities - have your child explain their thinking to find where they went off track.