Comparison Word Problems up to 20: How Many More or Fewer?
⚖️ It's a matchup! When two big groups go head-to-head, we use subtraction to find out exactly who won, and by how much.
Do this: Read the concept below, then try the quiz or activity.
Concept
Comparing two groups is a special kind of subtraction. Nobody is "taking anything away" or "eating" anything. You are just looking at the difference!
🎯 The "Match Up" Trick: "Sara read 15 books. John read 9 books. How many more books did Sara read?" * If Sara and John both read 9 books, it would be a tie. * But Sara read 15! * The difference between their scores is the answer. * Equation: 15 - 9 = 6. * Answer: Sara read 6 more books.
If the question asked, "How many fewer books did John read?", the math is EXACTLY THE SAME! The difference is still 6. John read 6 fewer books.
Try it
Who has more? Who has fewer? Find the difference!
Instructions: Find the difference between the two numbers to answer the question.
Problem 1: Team A scored 14 points. Team B scored 8 points. How many more points did Team A score? * Equation: 14 - 8 = ___ * Answer: ___ more points.
Problem 2: A big dog weighs 18 pounds. A small dog weighs 10 pounds. How many fewer pounds does the small dog weigh? * Equation: 18 - 10 = ___ * Answer: ___ fewer pounds.
Problem 3: There are 12 red cars and 19 blue cars in the parking lot. How many fewer red cars are there? * Answer: ___ fewer red cars.
Problem 4: You have 11 markers and your friend has 15 markers. What is the difference between your markers? * Answer: ___