Subtraction (Class 1)

What this worksheet covers

This is a fifteen-question practice worksheet on subtraction up to 20 for Class 1, written to the pattern of the SOF International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO). It carries 18 marks and is designed to be attempted in 30 minutes, split across three sections — Taking Away, Subtraction Around Us and Achievers Section. Every question is multiple choice with exactly one correct option, and every one comes with a fully worked solution rather than just an answer key — so a child who gets one wrong can see where the reasoning went astray instead of only learning that it did.

Skills your child practises

• Applied problem-solving on subtraction up to 20 at Class 1 level
• Working accurately against a time limit, as the real paper demands
• Taking Away questions in the olympiad format
• Subtraction Around Us questions in the olympiad format
• Achievers Section questions in the olympiad format
• Reading worked solutions to find the step that went wrong

How to use it

1. 1There are 15 questions. Answer all of them.
2. 2Each question has four choices — (A), (B), (C) and (D). Only one is correct.
3. 3Questions 1–12 carry 1 mark each. Questions 13–15 carry 2 marks each.
4. 4There is no negative marking. Look at every picture carefully.

Sample questions from this worksheet

A preview of what's inside Subtraction (Class 1) — the PDF has the full set, and every question comes with a worked solution like these.

1. 1. 9 − 4 = ____

   • A4
   • B5correct
   • C6
   • D13
   Solution: Start at 9 and count back 4: 8, 7, 6, 5.

2. 2. Riya had 14 balloons. 6 of them burst. How many balloons are left?

   • A6
   • B7
   • C8correct
   • D20
   Solution: Balloons burst, so we take them away.
   14 − 6 = 8 balloons.

3. 3. A shop had 18 cakes. It sold 7 cakes in the morning and 4 cakes in the evening. How many cakes are left?

   • A6
   • B7correct
   • C11
   • D15
   Solution: Take away both amounts, one after the other.
   18 − 7 = 11, then 11 − 4 = 7 cakes left.