One of the latest trends in teaching maths is to introduce subtraction as, ‘finding a part’. This also shows the link between subtraction and addition and questions can be presented as 2 + ? = 6 rather than 6 – 2 = ? There are lots of fun, practical ways to introduce this. For example, put counters in each hand. Tell your child that you have 5 counters. Show them two counters in your left hand and ask how many there are in the right hand.

The subtraction sign can be introduced to represent finding parts, using part-whole models. We have just published three new sets of worksheets which concentrate on finding a part and using part-whole models to introduce subtraction.