Subtraction Worksheets Generator
Create custom printable subtraction worksheets in seconds. Choose a difficulty level, set the number of problems per page, and download a print-ready PDF — with an optional answer key included.
Worksheet Settings
Preview
Showing page 1 of the worksheet. The PDF will contain all pages.
How to Use the Subtraction Worksheet Generator
- Select a difficulty — Easy (0–10) suits grade 1 students learning to subtract within 10; Medium (0–20) targets grade 2; Hard (0–100) is for grade 3 and above working on two-digit subtraction.
- Enable "No Negative Answers" — when checked, the larger number is always on top, so answers never go below zero. Uncheck it to include negative results for more advanced students.
- Set problems per page — 30 problems in 3 columns is the standard classroom layout. Use 20 for younger students who need more writing room.
- Enable the answer key — a complete answer key page is appended to the PDF for easy marking.
- Click Preview, then Download PDF — formatted for US Letter paper, ready to print.
Subtraction Fact Fluency by Grade
Grade 1
Subtracting within 10 and 20. Use Easy mode with No Negative Answers enabled. Focus on understanding subtraction as "taking away" or finding the difference.
Grade 2
Subtracting within 20 fluently. Use Medium difficulty. By end of grade 2 students should recall subtraction facts from memory without counting.
Grade 3+
Two-digit and three-digit subtraction. Use Hard (0–100) or Custom range. Older students can practice with negatives enabled to extend understanding.
Tips for Teaching Subtraction
Timed Drills
Give students 3–5 minutes to complete 30 problems. Track scores over several weeks so students can see their own improvement and build fact fluency.
Link to Addition Facts
Teach the "think addition" strategy — for 8 − 5, ask "what plus 5 equals 8?" Students who know their addition facts can derive subtraction facts quickly.
Counting Up
For problems like 13 − 9, students can count up from 9 to 13 to find the difference. This bridges into mental maths strategies for larger numbers.
Differentiation
Generate different difficulty levels for different groups in the same class — Easy for students still developing fluency, Hard for those ready for a challenge.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "No Negative Answers" mean?
When this option is checked, the generator always places the larger number first so the answer is never below zero. For example it will write 9 − 4 instead of 4 − 9. Uncheck it to allow problems where the answer can be a negative number.
Are the problems randomly generated each time?
Yes — every click of Preview generates a brand-new set of problems. Each page in a multi-page PDF also uses different random numbers, so every student gets a unique sheet.
What paper size does the PDF use?
The PDF is formatted for US Letter (8.5 × 11 inches). It will also print on A4 paper with slight scaling applied automatically by your printer or PDF viewer.
Can I set a custom number range?
Yes — select Custom in the difficulty section to enter your own min and max values. For example, set 10–20 to practise subtracting teens, or 50–100 to focus on larger two-digit numbers.
