Comparison Word Problems up to 10: How Many Fewer?
📖 Let's practice our comparison skills with stories that ask "how many fewer?". Remember, you already know how to do this! It's the same as finding "how many more".
Do this: Read the concept below, then try the quiz or activity.
Concept
When a story asks "how many fewer?", it's just asking you to find the difference between two groups.
🎯 Your Plan to Solve "How Many Fewer?" Stories: The plan is the SAME as for "how many more"! 1. Read the Story: Find the two groups you are comparing. 2. Draw Both Groups: Draw a picture for the bigger group and the smaller group. 3. Match Them Up: Draw lines to connect partners. 4. Count the Extras: The number of items without a partner is the difference. That's your answer!
Example Story: "Pat has 4 balls. Jen has 6 balls. How many fewer balls does Pat have than Jen?" * Groups: Pat's 4 balls and Jen's 6 balls. * Match: Match Pat's 4 balls to 4 of Jen's balls. * Count Extras: Jen has 2 balls left over. This is the difference. * Answer: Pat has 2 fewer balls. The subtraction sentence is 6 - 4 = 2.
Try it
Let's solve these "fewer" stories!
Instructions: Read the story and solve.
Problem 1: Dan found 5 shells. Kim found 8 shells. How many fewer shells did Dan find than Kim? * Subtraction sentence: ___ - ___ = ___ * Answer: ___ fewer shells.
Problem 2: A gray cat took 7 naps. A black cat took 10 naps. How many fewer naps did the gray cat take? * Answer: ___ fewer naps.
Problem 3: You have 3 pencils. Your teacher has 9 pencils. How many fewer pencils do you have than your teacher? * Answer: ___ fewer pencils.