This subtraction strategy unit provides practice with the compensation strategy.

Subtracting 8, 9, 18, and 19 is a fantastic way to learn and work with this strategy because these numbers are close to the ”friendly” numbers 10 and 20. Once students work with this strategy, it will transfer to bigger numbers as well.

This unit focuses on subtracting 8, 9, 18, and 19 in a visual way using ten frames.

When students become comfortable with compensation, they will begin to use similar concepts in other equations and it will carry over to other operations such as addition and multiplication. The most important aspect of compensation is to learn the concept behind it, and you will find that students will use it when appropriate and efficient.