Addition & Subtraction Word Problems Within 20 — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. Ava has 9 dolls. She gets 7 more. How many now? 16
Ava gets more dolls, so we add: 9 + 7 = 16 dolls now.
2. There are 14 ants. 6 walk away. How many left? 8
Ants walking away means fewer remain, so we subtract: 14 - 6 = 8 ants left.
3. Leo has 5 books. He finds 8 more. How many total? 13
Finding more books means Leo has extra, so we add: 5 + 8 = 13 books total.
4. A bag has 18 marbles. You take 9. How many remain? 9
Taking marbles out means fewer are in the bag: 18 - 9 = 9 marbles remain.
5. There are 3 dogs. 7 more come. How many now? 10
More dogs join the group, so we add: 3 + 7 = 10 dogs now.
6. Ella has 12 stars. She loses 5. How many left? 7
Losing stars means they are gone, so we subtract: 12 - 5 = 7 stars left.
7. A shelf has 8 cups. You add 6 more. How many total? 14
Adding cups means the shelf has more, so we add: 8 + 6 = 14 cups total.
8. There are 19 fish. 8 swim away. How many remain? 11
Fish swimming away means fewer stay in the pond: 19 - 8 = 11 fish remain.
9. Ryan has 6 hats. He gets 5 more. How many now? 11
Getting more hats means Ryan has extra, so we add: 6 + 5 = 11 hats now.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
12 - 5
→ 7
7
4 + 9
→ 13
9
17 - 8
→ 9
13
6 + 8
→ 14
14
Correct matches: 12 - 5 → 7; 4 + 9 → 13; 17 - 8 → 9; 6 + 8 → 14.