Mastering addition and subtraction is a fundamental skill that builds the foundation for more advanced math concepts. Whether your child is working with three-digit numbers, tackling four-digit problems, or learning to add and subtract with decimals, understanding these operations is essential for success in everyday life. From counting change at the store to solving real-world math challenges, strong addition and subtraction skills boost confidence and problem-solving abilities. In this blog, we’ll break down these concepts step by step, providing strategies and tips to help your child excel. Let’s dive in and make math easier, one number at a time!

This post is broken into three parts: adding & subtracting 3-digit numbers, adding & subtracting 4-digit numbers, adding & subtracting numbers with decimals.

First: 3-Digit Addition & Subtraction

Why 3-Digit Math is a Struggle for Many Kids

Parents and teachers often see kids hit a wall when it comes to adding and subtracting three-digit numbers. While single-digit math facts are easy to memorize, multi-digit operations require a deeper understanding of place value, borrowing, and carrying.

Common challenges include:

• Confusion over borrowing (regrouping) when subtracting
• Losing track of numbers in multi-step problems
• Struggling with basic math facts, making larger problems even harder

If your child or student struggles with these issues, don’t worry—you’re not alone. The good news? There are two proven strategies that can help! ✅

The Solution is Simpler Than You Think!

To help students overcome these hurdles, I’ve created a series of engaging video tutorials demonstrating two powerful math strategies:

1️⃣ “Trouble A-Coming” Strategy for Subtraction

One of the biggest mistakes students make in subtraction is starting a problem before checking for borrowing (regrouping). This leads to frustration when they get stuck halfway through. Instead, we teach students to scan the entire problem first and take care of borrowing upfront.

Why it works:

• Prevents mid-problem frustration ❌
• Creates a clear game plan before solving ✅
• Helps students work more confidently and accurately ✨

2️⃣ The “Dot Method” for Addition & Subtraction

For students who haven’t mastered all their math facts yet, this method is a game-changer! Instead of guessing or using fingers, students use small dots to help them count accurately.

Why it works:

• Provides a visual and tactile approach ️
• Eliminates common mistakes caused by mental miscalculations ❌
• Builds confidence as students develop fluency ✅

Watch, Learn, and Practice with These Videos!

We’ve broken down these strategies into a step-by-step video series that allows students to:

✔️ Watch & Understand – See the method in action with a clear explanation

✔️ Work Alongside the Instructor – Solve problems with guided practice

✍️ ✔️ Try It Independently – Complete “On Your Own” exercises for mastery

Lucy Longneck’s Leaf Feast

Part 1:  Lucy Longneck loves munching on acacia leaves! On Thursday, she ate 749 leaves, and on Friday, she devoured 652 more. How many leaves did Lucy Longneck eat in total? ✨

Part 2: Lucy Longneck’s Journey Home
After a long day of leaf-chewing, Lucy Longneck is headed home. ‍♀️ She is 524 giraffe steps away from her cozy spot. So far, she has already walked 365 steps.

 How many more steps does Lucy need to take to reach home? ‍♀️

️ Timid Timmy’s Great Escape!

Part 1: Timid Timmy is scared of dogs, cats, hawks—and even other squirrels! There are 723 total dogs, cats, and hawks in his neighborhood. If 533 of them are dogs and cats, how many hawks are there?

Part 2: Last week, Timid Timmy escaped from 369 attacks! This week, he dodged 288 more. How many times did he have to run for his life over the past two weeks?

Grab a pencil and solve these problems! ✏️

Enzo the Enforcer: The Fearless Tiger!

Part 1: Enzo the Enforcer rules his jungle with sharp claws and a no-nonsense attitude! He has swiped at 942 animals for bullying, and another 689 for stealing food. How many rule-breakers has Enzo taken down in total? ⚖️

Part 2: Enzo has no tolerance for bullies! When he was a cub, his territory had 648 bullies. Through sheer determination, he convinced 579 to change their wicked ways. How many bullies are still left in Enzo’s domain?

Grab a pencil and solve these problems! ✏️

Madeline Marmot’s Dinner Dilemma! ️

Part 1: Madeline is throwing a huge dinner party! She wants to invite 236 brothers, sisters, and cousins, plus 369 friendly marmots. If everyone attends, how many meals will she need to prepare?

Part 2: Madeline has 97 brothers and sisters. ‍‍ How many cousins does she have?

Grab a pencil and solve these these problems! ✏️

Renly Raccoon’s Campground Caper!

Part 1: Renly Raccoon isn’t a bad guy—he’s just a dad trying to feed his family! ‍‍ Last month, he “borrowed” 379 steaks and 588 hot dogs from some unsuspecting campers. How much food did he take in total?

Part 2: Renly is throwing a birthday bash for his youngest raccoon daughter, who is turning 6 months old! To feed all the neighborhood raccoons, he needs 204 slices of cake . He’s already “acquired” 144 slices—how many more does he need to swipe?

Grab a pencil and solve these problems! ✏️

 To see the rest of this book visit TeachersDungeon.com

Case Study: How One Teacher Transformed Her Students’ Math Skills ✨

Meet Mrs. Johnson, a 4th-grade teacher who was seeing her students struggle with borrowing and multi-digit addition. After implementing the “Trouble A-Coming” strategy and the Dot Method, she saw a 35% improvement in accuracy in just three weeks!

✔️ Students stopped making careless subtraction errors
✔️ Confidence skyrocketed as they mastered tricky math facts
✔️ They completed problems faster and with more accuracy

Mrs. Johnson now swears by these strategies, and so do her students! Your child can experience the same success!

Second: 4-Digit Addition & Subtraction

Jack Stinger: The Angry Yellowjacket

Part 1: Jack Stinger is an angry yellow jacket. He is always on the hunt for an unsuspecting person to sting! Last week, Jack stung 3,487 people. This week, he stung another 5,896 people. How many people has Jack Stinger stung in the past two weeks?

Part 2: Jack Stinger has a goal! He wants to be the first yellow jacket to sting 6,500 people in just one week. So far, Jack has stung 5,896 people. He has just six hours left before the end of the week! ⏳ How many more people must Jack Stinger sting to reach his goal?

Grab a pencil and solve these problems! ✏️

Grizzly Greg: The Honey Lovin’ Bear

Part 1: Grizzly Greg is always on the hunt for his favorite treat—honey! Yesterday, he stole 7,482 ounces of honey. He has already eaten 4,403 ounces. How much more honey does Grizzly Greg have left to eat?

Part 2: Grizzly Greg loves honey, but he does not love getting stung! Last month, he got stung 3,848 times. This month, he was stung 2,872 times. How many times has Grizzly Greg been stung in the past two months?

Grab a pencil and solve these problems! ✏️

Pelican Pete: The Golf Course Trickster

Part 1: Pelican Pete lives on a golf course ⛳. He waits for the golfers to hit the ball, then he tries to catch it in his outstretched beak! 742 golfers hit 8,356 balls the other day. Pelican Pete caught 3,824 balls. How many did he miss?

Part 2: At the end of every game, the golfers share their lunch with Pelican Pete. Yesterday, he ate 3,749 ounces of shrimp salad and 2,865 ounces of salmon delight. How much food has Pelican Pete eaten in total?

Grab a pencil and solve these problems! ✏️

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Third: Addition & Subtraction with Decimals

Elyssa Elephant’s Adventure

Part 1: Elyssa Elephant is the youngest member of her herd. She trots alongside her mother as the elephants travel across the African Savanna. Sometimes Elyssa can walk, but other times she has to run in order to keep up with the grown-up elephants. Last month, Elyssa walked 8.87 miles ‍♀️ and ran 8.6 miles ‍♀️. Did Elyssa walk further or did she run further last month? What was the difference?

Part 2: How far did Elyssa Elephant travel in all last month?

Silvia the Silk-Weaving Spider

Part 1: Silvia the spider spins a new web every day because bees , mosquitoes , and other bugs wreck them! Yesterday, Silvia created a web with 25.8 yards of silk. Today, she spun a web with 37.07 yards of silk. How much silk did Silvia weave over the past two days?

Part 2: Silvia is curious . How much bigger is today’s web than yesterday’s? How many more yards of silk did she use?

Valentina the Veterinarian

Part 1: Valentina is the youngest animal doctor in the world! ‍⚕️ Today, she is giving medicine to a squirrel . The squirrel takes 3.275 mg in the morning and another 4.018 mg at night. How much medicine does the squirrel receive each day?

Part 2: Does Valentina give more medicine in the morning ☀️ or at night ? How much more?

Final Thoughts: Let’s Make Math Click!

Math doesn’t have to be frustrating! By anticipating borrowing and using visual tools like the Dot Method, students can develop stronger math skills and greater confidence. These small shifts in approach can make a huge difference in how children feel about math.

Sign up for The Teacher’s Dungeon and unlock my entire library of math books FREE with your membership!  Click on the photo below to visit our site.

What’s Next? Try out these strategies with your child or students today! Watch the videos, practice together, and watch their math confidence soar!

Click here to see my series on Multiplication.

Click her to see my series on Division.

How about getting a concrete understanding of fractions?

I have a series on illustrating fractions that is specifically designed to build a concrete understanding of this complex concept.  Children who understand fractions at a deeper level are more likely to have a successful educational career .   The series is designed in a similar manner to this book, where each and every problem is linked to a video tutorial.  Here is a link to my series on Fractions.

Have questions or success stories? Drop a comment below—we’d love to hear from you!