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Subtraction word problems for 2nd grade

These subtraction word problems are great for ages 7 and older who are looking to improve their subtracting skills.

Worksheet 1 | Download Worksheet to PDF Worksheet 2 | Download Worksheet to PDF Worksheet 3 | Download Worksheet to PDF Worksheet 4 | Download Worksheet to PDF

Worksheet 1

A pet store had 8 puppies for sale. They sold 2 puppies. How many puppies do they have left in the pet store?

Alex’s dad is a baker. This morning, he baked 10 loaves of bread. If he sold 7 loaves of bread during the day, how many loaves does he have left?

My family is going on a road trip. The total drive is 9 hours long, but we have already been driving for 5 hours.
How many hours are left until we arrive?

I have 6 friends at school and 2 of those friends are in my class. How many of my friends are not in my class?

I have 5 English exercises that I need to do for homework this week. I did 2 exercises yesterday. How many English exercises do I still need to do?

I lived 14 blocks away from my school. My parents decided to move closer to school, so now I only live 4 blocks away. How many blocks closer did we move?

The aquarium has 13 sharks in a tank. They released 5 sharks back into the ocean. How many sharks are left in the tank?

I had $9. I spent $3 at the mall. How much money do I have left?

Enzo and I went for milkshakes. The bill came to $5. If Enzo’s milkshake cost $2, how much did my milkshake cost?

You receive 20 coins to spend at the store. You buy a book for 7 coins and a soda for 2 coins.
How many coins do you have left?

Worksheet 2

Penelope had 375 jelly beans to decorate her gingerbread house. As she was building, she ate 28 of the jelly beans. How many jelly beans did she have left to decorate her house with?

  • Answer

    347

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of jelly beans from the larger number of jelly beans:
    375 - 28
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 375 and 28:
    375 - 28 = 347

Darrel needed 944 logs to finish building his cabin. He collected 80 logs. How many logs does he still need to collect?

  • Answer

    864

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of logs from the larger number of logs:
    944 - 80
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 944 and 80:
    944 - 80 = 864

Joanne had $792 in her purse before her car broke her down. She had to spend $78 to pay the towing company. How much money does Joanne have left in her purse?

  • Answer

    $714

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of money from the larger number of money:
    $792 - $78
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between $792 and $78:
    $792 - $78 = $714

In the morning, a secretary had 683 paperclips but by the end of the day she only had 75. How many paperclips did the secretary use that day?

  • Answer

    608

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of paper clips from the larger number of paper clips:
    683 - 75
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 683 and 75:
    683 - 75 = 608

A couple went on a camping trip. They packed 463 logs for their fire. They used 59 logs on the first day. How many logs do they have left for the rest of their trip?

  • Answer

    404

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of logs from the larger number of logs:
    463 - 59
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 463 and 59:
    463 - 59 = 404

A car dealer has 391 old cars. He sells 24 cars. How many cars are now in the car dealership?

  • Answer

    367

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of cars from the larger number of cars:
    391 - 24
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 391 and 24:
    391 - 24 = 367

To fill an order, the factory had to dye 458 metres of fabric. They have already dyed 52 metres. How many metres of fabric does the factory still need dye for that order?

  • Answer

    406

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of metres from the larger number of metres:
    458 - 52
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 458 and 52:
    458 - 52 = 406

Zelda and Jeffrey needed to drive 280km from Rome to Florence. After 73km they stopped for lunch. How much further do they still need to drive to get to Florence?

  • Answer

    207

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of kilometres from the larger number of kilometres:
    280 - 73
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 280 and 73:
    280 - 73 = 207

Rosette had 198 Legos to build a Lego house. She only needed to use 63 Legos. How many Legos does Rosette have left?

  • Answer

    135

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of Legos from the larger number of Legos:
    198 - 63
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 198 and 63:
    198 - 63 = 135

Vianne made 159 grams of strawberry jam. She bottled and sold 72 grams of jam. How many grams does Vianne have remaining?

  • Answer

    87

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of grams from the larger number of grams:
    159 - 72
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 159 and 72:
    159 - 72 = 87

Worksheet 3

Anouk had to write a 760 word essay for homework. She wrote 37 words on the first day. How many words does Anouk still have to write?

  • Answer

    723

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of words from the larger number of words:
    760 - 37
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 760 and 37:
    760 - 37 = 723

Yannick has a treasure chest of 936 gold coins. He gave 28 coins to his friend. How many coins does Yannick have left in his treasure chest?

  • Answer

    908

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of coins from the larger number of coins:
    936 - 28
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 936 and 28:
    936 - 28 = 908

Jasmine wants to be a professional dart thrower. Her coach tells her to throw 550 darts in order to improve. If she threw 53 darts on the first day, how many times does she still need to throw?

  • Answer

    497

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of throws from the larger number of throws:
    550 - 53
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 550 and 53:
    550 - 53 = 497

Francis is reading a book that is 362 pages long. He read 26 pages on the first day. How many pages must he still read to finish the book?

  • Answer

    336

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of pages from the larger number of pages:
    362 - 26
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 362 and 26:
    362 - 26 = 336

An athlete is training for an ultramarathon that is 160 kilometers long. Before this, he used to race in marathons that were 42 kilometers long. How much further will the ultramarathon be than the races he used to run?

  • Answer

    118

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of kilometers from the larger number of kilometers:
    160 - 42
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 160 and 42:
    160 - 42 = 118

A supermarket sells regular and crunchy peanut butter. There are 223 jars of regular peanut butter and 64 jars of crunchy peanut butter on a shelf. How many more jars are there of regular peanut butter?

  • Answer

    159

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of jars from the larger number of jars:
    223 - 64
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 223 and 64:
    223 - 64 = 159

The Kruger National ParkThere is home to about 1000 leopards and 120 wild dogs. How many more leopards are there than wild dogs?

  • Answer

    880

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of animals from the larger number of animals:
    1000 - 120
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 1000 and 120:
    1000 - 120 = 880

In 2010 there were 27 million kangaroos in Australia. In 2016, the number of kangaroos went up to 45 million. How many more kangaroos were there in 2016 than in 2010?

  • Answer

    18 million

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of kangaroos from the larger number of kangaroos:
    45 - 27
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 45 and 27:
    45 - 27 = 18, then add the million back to get to 18 million.

The average male African lion weighs around 190kg while females weigh around 140kg. How much heavier is a male lion than a female?

  • Answer

    50kg

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller weight from the larger number of weight:
    190kg - 140kg
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 190 and 140:
    190 - 140 = 50kg

A book store stocked 159 copies of Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets. They sold 62 copies in one week. How many copies are still available in the store?

  • Answer

    97

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of copies from the larger number of copies:
    159 - 62
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 159 and 62:
    159 - 62 = 97

Worksheet 4

Ella downloaded a playlist of 347 songs for her roadtrip. She has listened to 25 song so far, how many songs does she still need to listen to?

  • Answer

    322

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of songs from the larger number of songs:
    347 - 25
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 347 and 25:
    347 - 25 = 322

Last week there were 105 patients that visited the local hospital. This week there were only 87. How many more patients were there last week than this week?

  • Answer

    18

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of patients from the larger number of patients:
    105 - 87
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 105 and 87:
    105 - 87 = 18

A coffee shop sold 835 cups of coffee this week, which is 94 more cups of coffee than it sold last week. How many cups of coffee did the coffee shop sell last week?

  • Answer

    741

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of cups from the larger number of cups:
    835 - 94
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 835 and 94:
    835 - 94 = 741

You saved $450 last year. You bought your friend a present which cost $14. How much money do you have left?

  • Answer

    $436

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of money from the larger number of money:
    $450 - $14
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 450 and 14:
    $450 - $14 = $436

I spent 323 hours practising the piano and last week I spent 379 hours practicing. How many more hours did I practise for last week than this week?

  • Answer

    56

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of hours from the larger number of hours:
    379 - 323
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 379 and 323:
    379 - 323 = 56

You made 293 doughnuts for the school bake sale. You sold 87 in the first hour. How many do you still need to sell?

  • Answer

    206

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of doughnuts from the larger number of doughnuts:
    293 - 87
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 293 and 87:
    293 - 87 = 206

You prepared 358 sandwiches for charity. You aim to make a total of 895. How many sandwiches must you still make?

  • Answer

    537

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of 895 from the larger number of 358:
    895 - 358
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 895 and 358:
    895 - 358 = 537

Derek and his friends baked 877 cupcakes for their store. He sold 39 as soon as the store opened. How many cupcakes does he still need to sell?

  • Answer

    838

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of cupcakes from the larger number of cupcakes:
    877 - 39
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 877 and 39:
    877 - 39 = 838

A nursery planted 503 saplings. Only 26 saplings failed to grow. How many saplings successfully grew into trees?

  • Answer

    477

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of saplings from the larger number of saplings:
    503 - 26
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 503 and 26:
    503 - 26 = 477

A florist prepared 493 bouquets of flowers to sell. They sold 38 bouquets of flowers in the first hour. How many bouquets did they still need to sell?

  • Answer

    455

  • Explanation

    First write the number sentence. Subtract the smaller number of bouquets from the larger number of bouquets:
    493 - 38
    Now complete the number sentence by finding the difference between 493 and 38:
    493 - 38 = 455