This packet helps students practice subtracting positive and negative numbers (a skill that is essential for algebra and is very often challenging for students!). This worksheet focuses on numbers between -50 and 50, so students must understand how to subtract positive and negative numbers, but they must also apply that knowledge to subtraction problems that might require borrowing. We find that, even after students master the drills, they sometimes struggle to work with negative numbers when they have to rewrite the problem in order to regroup. Once students can complete these pages with accuracy, it's less essential that they be able to complete them quickly. There are also worksheets that combine both addition and subtraction with integers for greater challenge.
Find the difference.
Simple: 22 - 29 = (positive minus positive) OR -17 - 18 = (negative minus positive)
Advanced: 35 - -8 = (positive minus negative) OR -27 - -31 = (negative minus negative)
We encourage students to have mastered the "Subtracting Integers -10 to 10" drills before doing these problems. The drills contain the basic concepts: these are just harder problems.