Addition & Subtraction Word Problems — Answer Key
Part A: Fill in the Blank
Write the missing word or number on each line.
1. A farmer has 36 cows. He buys 47 more. He now has 83 cows.
Buying more cows grows the herd, so add the new ones to what the farmer already had: 36 + 47 = 83 cows.
2. Tina had 72 stickers. She gave 38 away. She has 34 stickers left.
Giving stickers away makes Tina's pile smaller, so subtract the gifted ones: 72 − 38 = 34 stickers still on her sticker book.
3. A shelf has 48 books. 25 more are added. The shelf now has 73 books.
Adding more books to the shelf means combining groups: 48 + 25 = 73 books on the shelf in total.
4. There were 87 leaves. The wind blew 59 away. 28 leaves remain.
The wind took 59 leaves away, so subtract that from the starting pile: 87 − 59 = 28 leaves still on the ground.
5. Carlos has 44 toy cars and 39 toy planes. He has 83 toys in all.
"In all" means combine cars and planes into one toy total: 44 + 39 = 83 toys that Carlos owns.
6. A pool had 66 swimmers. 28 got out. 38 swimmers are still in the pool.
Swimmers leaving the pool means we take them away from the starting count: 66 − 28 = 38 swimmers still splashing in the water.
7. Maya baked 53 cookies. Then she baked 29 more. She baked 82 cookies total.
Maya kept baking, so add both batches together for the total: 53 + 29 = 82 cookies on her tray.
8. A jar has 91 candies. Kids took 56. 35 candies are left in the jar.
Candies the kids took are no longer in the jar, so subtract: 91 − 56 = 35 candies still inside.
9. Ali walked 37 steps. Then he walked 46 more. He walked 83 steps altogether.
Ali kept on walking, so we add both step counts: 37 + 46 = 83 steps walked altogether.
Part B: Matching
Match each item on the left to the correct answer on the right.
1. Match each item to its correct answer.
A farmer has 36 cows. He buys 47 more.
→ 36 + 47 = 83
48 + 25 = 73
Tina had 72 stickers. She gave 38 away.
→ 72 − 38 = 34
87 − 59 = 28
A shelf has 48 books. 25 more are added.
→ 48 + 25 = 73
36 + 47 = 83
There were 87 leaves. The wind blew 59 away.
→ 87 − 59 = 28
72 − 38 = 34
Stories where things "more are added" or "buys more" use addition (36 + 47 and 48 + 25), while stories where things are "given away" or "blown away" use subtraction (72 − 38 and 87 − 59) to find what is left.