Addition and Subtraction Word Problems: practice solutions, Grade 2 – download the PDF

1 Marbles in a bag ★★★

Marbles are added, so we add: \(23 + 15 = \square\).

Tens: \(20 + 10 = 30\). Ones: \(3 + 5 = 8\). So \(30 + 8 = 38\).

Sam has 38 marbles now.

2 Cookies on a plate ★★★

Cookies leave the plate, so we subtract: \(47 - 12 = \square\).

\(47 - 10 = 37\), then \(37 - 2 = 35\).

There are 35 cookies left.

3 Tulips in the garden ★★★

This is a put together problem: Part + Part = Whole. \(31 + 24 = \square\).

\(30 + 20 = 50\) and \(1 + 4 = 5\), so \(50 + 5 = 55\).

There are 55 tulips in all.

4 Boys and girls ★★★

This is a take apart problem. Whole = 56, one part = 30. We write \(30 + \square = 56\), or \(56 - 30 = \square\).

\(56 - 30 = 26\).

There are 26 boys.

5 Two soccer teams ★★★

This is a compare problem, so we subtract the smaller number from the larger: \(42 - 35 = \square\).

\(35 + 5 = 40\) and \(40 + 2 = 42\), so the difference is \(5 + 2 = 7\).

The red team scored 7 more points.

6 Add or subtract? ★★★

1. Add: fish join the group, so the group gets bigger. \(18 + 9 = 27\) fish.
2. Subtract: crackers are eaten, so some leave. \(40 - 15 = 25\) crackers.
3. Subtract: we compare two amounts and look for the difference. \(27 - 21 = 6\) more books.

7 Fruit stand bar model ★★★

The two boxes are the parts, and the question mark is the whole. Whole = \(30 + 24\).

\(30 + 20 = 50\), then \(50 + 4 = 54\).

The stand sold 54 pieces of fruit.

8 Nora’s stickers ★★★

The change is unknown: \(29 + \square = 51\).

Count up: \(29 + 1 = 30\), \(30 + 20 = 50\), \(50 + 1 = 51\). The hops are \(1 + 20 + 1 = 22\).

Check: \(29 + 22 = 51\). Her friend gave her 22 stickers.

9 The city bus ★★★

Equation: \(64 - \square = 38\).

Think addition: \(38 + \square = 64\). \(38 + 2 = 40\), \(40 + 24 = 64\), so \(\square = 2 + 24 = 26\).

Check: \(64 - 26 = 38\). 26 people got off the bus.

10 Ducks on a pond ★★★

The start is unknown: \(\square + 17 = 45\).

Subtract the change from the result: \(45 - 17 = 28\). (\(45 - 10 = 35\), \(35 - 7 = 28\).)

Check: \(28 + 17 = 45\). There were 28 ducks at first.

11 Tom’s coins ★★★

Equation: \(\square - 26 = 39\).

To find the start, add back what was spent: \(39 + 26 = 65\). (\(39 + 20 = 59\), \(59 + 6 = 65\).)

Check: \(65 - 26 = 39\). Tom had 65 coins at the start.

12 Library shelf ★★★

Whole = 72, known part = 45: \(45 + \square = 72\).

\(72 - 45 = 27\). Check: \(45 + 27 = 72\).

There are 27 fact books.

13 Who has more? ★★★

Cara has more, so her bar is longer: \(18 + 25 = \square\).

\(18 + 25 = 43\) (\(18 + 20 = 38\), \(38 + 5 = 43\)).

Cara has 43 stickers.

14 Books we read ★★★

1. Cy read the most: 15 books.
2. Compare: \(15 - 8 = 7\). Cy read 7 more books than Ben.
3. Put together: \(12 + 8 + 15 + 10\). \(12 + 8 = 20\), \(15 + 10 = 25\), and \(20 + 25 = 45\). They read 45 books in all.

15 Eggs at the farm ★★★

Equation: \(83 - \square = 47\).

\(83 - 47\): take away 40 to get 43, then take away 7 to get 36. So \(\square = 36\).

Check: \(47 + 36 = 83\). She sold 36 eggs.

16 The pencil box ★★★

Step 1: \(35 + 28 = 63\). Step 2: \(63 - 19 = 44\) (\(63 - 20 = 43\), then add 1 back).

There are 44 pencils in the box now.

17 Borrowed library books ★★★

Step 1: books borrowed in all: \(38 + 27 = 65\).

Step 2: \(90 - 65 = 25\).

Check: \(65 + 25 = 90\). 25 books are still on the cart.

18 Fewer pages ★★★

Dan read fewer, so Eve read more: \(37 + 19 = 56\) pages (\(37 + 20 = 57\), minus 1).

Together: \(37 + 56 = 93\) (\(30 + 50 = 80\), \(7 + 6 = 13\), and \(80 + 13 = 93\)).

Eve read 56 pages and they read 93 pages together.

19 Find the mistake ★★★

Mia saw “fewer” and “12,” but she added. Jon has fewer cards, so his number is smaller than Kim’s.

Correct equation: \(40 - 12 = \square\), and \(40 - 12 = 28\).

Jon has 28 cards. This makes sense because 28 is less than 40.

20 Write your own story ★★★

Sample story: “A bakery had 63 rolls. It sold some rolls. Now 28 rolls are left. How many rolls did it sell?”

Think addition: \(28 + \square = 63\). \(28 + 2 = 30\), \(30 + 33 = 63\), so \(\square = 35\). Check: \(63 - 35 = 28\).

The bakery sold 35 rolls. (Any story where 63 things are reduced to 28 is correct.)

21 Ribbons ★★★

Step 1: the blue ribbon is shorter, so we subtract: \(48 - 15 = 33\) centimeters.

Step 2: the green ribbon is longer than the blue one: \(33 + 22 = 55\) centimeters.

The green ribbon is 55 centimeters long (about 22 inches).

22 The school bus ★★★

Step 1: \(26 + 18 = 44\). Step 2: \(44 - 14 = 30\).

Equation in one line: \(26 + 18 - 14 = n\), so \(n = 30\).

There are 30 people on the bus now.