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Add and Subtract Hundreds Worksheet for Year 3 (Free Printable)

  • ForYear 3 (Free Printable)
  • StageKey Stage 2
  • CostFree
  • FormatPrintable PDF
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Add and Subtract Hundreds is a free printable maths worksheet for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Children practise adding and subtracting hundreds mentally with three digit numbers. There are 18 questions in three steps, then a challenge question. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up the answers, help ideas and a stretch task.

It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages on A4, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

Children work through 18 numbered questions in three steps, with space to write each answer. The questions focus on adding and subtracting hundreds in their head, using three digit numbers. Children look closely at place value and notice which digit changes and which digits stay the same. A challenge question at the end gives confident children something extra to think about.

Worked example

452 + 300 = ?

This question is not on the sheet. It shows two ways children can think.

Method 1: split the number into parts
  1. Split 452 into 400, 50 and 2.
  2. Add the hundreds: 400 + 300 = 700.
  3. Put the tens and ones back: 700 + 50 + 2 = 752.
Method 2: count on in hundreds
  1. Start at 452.
  2. Jump on one hundred at a time: 552, 652, 752.
  3. You made three jumps because you were adding three hundreds.
452 + 300 = 752

Getting ready for hundreds

Say it in hundreds

Read 300 as three hundreds. Then 400 + 300 becomes four hundreds plus three hundreds, which is a number fact children already know.

Use place value counters

Build the starting number with hundreds, tens and ones counters. Add or take away only the hundreds counters and read the new number aloud.

Underline the hundreds digit

Before answering, ask your child to underline the hundreds digit in the starting number. It reminds them which digit is going to change.

Check with the opposite

After adding, subtract the same hundreds from the answer. After subtracting, add them back. You should land on the starting number.

Why hundreds matter in Year 3

In Year 3, children meet three digit numbers and learn that each digit has a value that depends on its place. In 452, the 4 stands for four hundreds, the 5 for five tens and the 2 for two ones. Adding or subtracting hundreds is a good first step with these numbers because the work is mostly about one digit.

Quick mental methods save time and build confidence. A child who understands that ten tens make a hundred does not need to write a column sum for every question. They can spot which part of the number is changing and work it out in their head. This also helps them check answers to harder written calculations later.

Skills and curriculum link

  • Mental addition
  • Mental subtraction
  • Place value
  • Tens and hundreds
  • Checking answers

Ideas that help with hundreds

  • The hundreds digitIn a three digit number, the first digit tells you how many hundreds there are. That is the digit to focus on when adding or subtracting hundreds.
  • Digits that stay putWhen you add or subtract a whole number of hundreds, the tens and ones are not being asked to change. Keeping them in mind stops careless slips.
  • Zero holds a placeA zero in a number shows that there are none of that size. It must still be written, so the other digits stay in the right places.
  • OppositesAddition and subtraction undo each other. Children can use one to check the other, which is a useful habit in mental maths.

Key words

  • HundredsGroups of one hundred. In 600, there are six of them.
  • DigitOne of the number symbols from 0 to 9. The number 452 has three digits.
  • Place valueThe value a digit has because of where it sits in a number.
  • MentallyWorking out the answer in your head, with few or no written steps.
  • PartitionSplit a number into parts, such as 452 into 400, 50 and 2.
  • InverseThe opposite operation. Subtraction is the inverse of addition.

How to use it

  1. Print both pages on A4. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the answers and notes.
  2. Look at the first question together. Ask your child to say the numbers in words, such as four hundred and fifty two.
  3. Let your child choose how to work. They can use place value counters, jottings or just their head.
  4. Check with page 2. Ask, "How did you know?" The thinking matters as much as the answer.
  5. Come back another day and try the challenge question. Repeating a familiar sheet builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

If it feels too hard

Use place value counters. Build the starting number, then add or remove only the hundreds counters. Say the new number aloud. Start with the first few questions and stop when your child is tired. Come back to the rest on another day.

To stretch confident children

Try the challenge question at the end. Then write three similar questions of your own for a friend to answer. Keep an answer sheet, and check each other's work using the opposite operation.

Make it a game

Race the clock. Set a timer for ten minutes and count how many questions you answer correctly. Check with page 2. Next time, try to beat your own score. Compare with yourself, not with anyone else.

Mistakes to watch for

Watch forA child changes the tens digit instead of the hundreds digit, so 452 + 300 becomes 482.

Try thisSay the amount in hundreds, three hundreds, and underline the hundreds digit before starting. Only that digit changes.

Watch forA child adds when the sign says subtract, or the other way round.

Try thisCircle the sign before each question. Say it aloud, "take away" or "add", then begin.

Watch forA child drops a zero, so 405 + 200 becomes 65 instead of 605.

Try thisUse place value counters or a place value grid to show the zero in the tens place. Point out that it holds that place.

Talk about it

  • How do you know which digit will change?
  • How could you check your answer using the opposite operation?
  • Why does a zero in the middle of a number matter?
  • Can you think of a quick way to add three hundreds?
  • What would happen if you added the hundreds to the tens by mistake?
  • Which question felt easiest, and why?

Take it off the page

Paper squares marked 100

Make ten paper squares and write 100 on each. Use them to build numbers such as 300, then add or take away squares and say the new total. It makes hundreds feel real.

Chalk number line

Draw a long line outside in chalk and mark it in hundreds. Hop along it to add and back to subtract, saying the number each time you land.

Number hunt at home

Look for three digit numbers on door numbers, books and packaging. For each one, say what it would be with one hundred more and one hundred fewer.

Who it is for

Parents

Sit beside your child for the first few questions, then let them lead. Ten to fifteen minutes is plenty. If they get stuck, bring out some counters and build the number together before trying again.

Teachers

Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or homework. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas, so it suits mixed ability groups and quick checks on mental methods.

Home educators

Pair this sheet with practical work, such as counters or a chalk number line. Short sessions suit most children. Because it is free to print, you can use it again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later.

Where this fits

Before this sheet, children learn to count in tens and hundreds, and to recognise what each digit in a three digit number is worth. They also add and subtract tens mentally, which uses the same thinking on a smaller scale.

After this sheet, children move on to adding and subtracting tens and ones with three digit numbers, and later to written column methods. The habit of looking at place value first makes those methods easier to understand.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is this worksheet for?

It is written for Year 3, ages 7 to 8, in Key Stage 2. Some children in Year 2 who are confident with place value may also enjoy it, and it works well as revision for older children.

What will children practise?

They practise adding and subtracting hundreds mentally with three digit numbers. This builds place value understanding and quick mental maths. It follows the Year 3 strand on adding and subtracting numbers mentally, including hundreds.

How many questions are there?

There are 18 questions in three steps, followed by a challenge question. Page 2 has all the answers for the grown up. Children can do a few at a time if a full sheet feels like too much.

What if my child finds it hard?

Try place value counters. Build the starting number, then change only the hundreds counters. Saying the numbers aloud also helps. Start with a few questions and come back to the rest another day.

Do children need a calculator or any equipment?

No. They need a pencil and the printed sheet. Place value counters can help but are optional. Paper squares marked 100 work well as a free alternative if you do not have counters.

Can teachers use it in class?

Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 includes support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.

Is it free and do I need colour printing?

Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. Colour is not needed. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, and you can print it again whenever you need to.

Preview the full PDF

Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.

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