Taking away the same number
Repeated subtraction means we take away the same number again and again until we reach 0, or until we cannot take any more. It helps us share things into equal groups, and it is the first step towards learning to divide. We can also count how many times we took the number away.
Key idea
6 − 2 − 2 − 2 = 0. We took away 2 three times. So 6 shares into 3 groups of 2.
Take away step by step
Worked example
Take 5 away from 10 until we reach 0. First 10 − 5 = 5, then 5 − 5 = 0. We took away 5 two times, so 10 makes 2 groups of 5.
Remember
- Take away the same number each time.
- Count how many times you took away.
- Stop at 0.
- It helps us share equally.