Find the Missing Number — Supermarket Things — Grade 1

"Some carts, baskets and a till were here, this many are left — how many went away?" That is every row of this sheet. The child finds the missing part by counting up from what remains to the starting group, or by recalling the take-away that fits. Working subtraction from the result backward is the Grade 1 step this practises, with the amounts held within twenty so a child can always count to be sure — the pictured supermarket things make that check quick and concrete.

Working a subtraction backward — from result to the part that left — is how a child first sees that the same three numbers can be arranged more than one way. It is the seed of fact families, a Grade 1 idea, and finding the missing part with within-twenty supermarket things keeps that seed planted in counting the child can actually do.

Children who like supermarket things take to the puzzle of working backward, and it suits a child ready for a little more than plain take-away. When this feels easy, try find the missing number with bakery treats, or find the missing number with christmas. You can also browse every subtraction worksheet or the whole supermarket things collection for grade 1 — each sheet prints cleanly in black and white or plays online for free.