Thinking about regrouping differently

Regrouping when subtracting is a time and place when students (and all mathematicians) are susceptible to making mistakes. So don’t regroup!

408 – 116 = 

Complete this in two steps with no regrouping. Start this problem in the ones place : 8 – 6 = 2 ones. Then think of the rest of the problem in terms of tens: 40 tens – 11 tens. It equals 29 tens. Your answer to the math equation is 292.

Let’s do one where we’ll have to regroup, but maybe we can do less of it? Less regrouping means less mistakes.

406 – 48 =

Change 406 to 16 ones and 39 tens. Then 16 – 8 is 8 ones and 39 tens minus 4 tens is 35 tens. Difference? 358. Less regrouping and chances for mistakes.