Subtraction
With Base Ten Blocks

This is where Crewton Ramone parts ways with most other programs including Mortensen Math.  The method I'm about to show you although foreign to most adults, is a superior algorithm for subtraction. It makes subtraction EASY. Using your base ten blocks students can SEE and experience subtraction. And then master a shortcut that makes their computation accurate and lightning fast.

Any little kid will tell you, it's easier to count forward than it is going backward. So we're going to add to subtract...because really, all you can ever do is add a negative.

Download my book Supremely Simple Subtraction for FREE.   

On the other side of this page you will have access to even more support material, Practice PDF's a video on the Mortensen Series A Subtraction Manual plus the read only PDF for it, and a video where I go over my subtraction book page by page with you too. Plus links to video where you see the theory in action. Me working with actual students in (very) unrehearsed videos. Along with links to Blog Posts where you see the method in action. You will see for yourself how easy this makes subtraction, no counting backwards, no losing your place, no need for fingers...  

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Once you have played wit blocks pencil and paper with symbols is easy.  See what this child is doing in her head, i show you how to make it easy, you'd rather add than subtract.  

Practice with addends makes math easy. Using both hands gives a fun whole brain math lesson.  Base ten blocks make subtraction a multi sensory experience all learners, including kinesthetic learns can have fun participating in, without fear of failure. Control of error is a recurring theme. The child can build nothing but 12s.  13 is too many and you can see when you don't have enough. 

Building 45 addends facilitates this method for subtraction, because it allows them to see numbers are made up of other numbers so it becomes obvious when I take 7 from 11, I add 3 to the 1 to get four because I had to take the 7 out of the 10, I can't take it from the 1. This is a slight twist on "borrowing." 

Much more explanation and examples on the other side. But here is anoher example.

If you remove the seven it's like adding three.


You can start by teaching them to make change. Here is a worksheet for making change that will help. On the other side there Is a longer worksheet and several videos showing you how to use the addend method for easy subtraction fun. This makes math child's play.

Learning is more fun and goes faster in groups. Look how many problems we get done in rapid succession. No need for pencil and paper, but when it's time for pencil and paper what they learned here will make subtraction a snap.  We are basically drilling for skills but we are playing, and they are seeing who can answer first.  You can see and hear they are having fun. Group learning is child centered learning. It is faster and funner than one on one with a teacher or tutor. If you are teaching or tutoring with this method form groups of four or more. You will each more faster and get paid more doing it.  Form classes: 4 students a class $25.00 per student. DO the math. Play with purpose. i play for a living.  You can too. 

Subtraction is easy when you can see it.

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More on Addition and Subtraction
Success for a tutor using this method.
Absolutely Amazing Addends

Subtraction in Action

"The soul grows by subtraction, not addition."~Henry David Thoreau

"She can't do Subtraction." said the White Queen. "Can you do Division? Divide a loaf by a knife-what's the answer to that?" "I suppose-" Alice was beginning, but the Red Queen answered for her. "Bread-and-butter, of course."~Lewis Carroll

"Meekness, the subtraction of self, reduces the multiplication of words."~Neal A. Maxwell

"'Six minus six is zero. Spears are good for subtraction,' Ella said."~Rick Riordan

"There is no division nor subtraction in the heart-arithmetic of a good mother. There are only addition and multiplication."~Bess Streeter Aldrich