Subtracting Integers Worksheet

Examples, solutions, videos, and worksheets to help Grade 6 students learn how to subtract integers.

How to subtract integers?

There are five sets of subtracting integers worksheets:

• subtract 1-digit integers (both are positive)
• subtract 1-digit integers (both are negative)
• subtract 1-digit integers (positive or negative)
• subtract 2-digit integers (both are negative)
• subtract 2-digit integers (positive or negative)

Subtracting integers can be done by adding the opposite of the second integer.

We can use the following steps when subtracting two integers:

1. Change the sign of the second integer and change the subtraction to an addition.
   For example:
   (+4) - (+7) = (+4) + (-7)
   (-8) - (-3) = (-8) + (+3)
2. Perform the addition following the rules of adding integers.
   
3. If the integers have the same sign then add the two integers. The sum will take the same sign.
   For example:
   (+5) + (+9) = +14
   (-8) + (-2) = -10
4. If the integers have different signs then look at the absolute values of the integers. Subtract the smaller absolute value from the larger absolute value. The sum will take the sign of the larger absolute value.
   For example:
   (+4) + (-7) = -3
   (-8) + (+3) = -5

There is a shortcut if you notice that the negative of a negative is a positive.
Example:
(8) - (-3) = 8 + 3 = 11

Click on the following worksheet to get a printable pdf document.
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