3-Digit Column Addition and Subtraction Practice

🧮 Column Addition & SubtractionAge 6-8MediumNumbers 🇺🇸 1st–2nd Grade 🇬🇧 Year 2–3 🇦🇺 Year 1–2 🇮🇳 Class 1–2 📐 2.NBT.B.7 📐 3.NBT.A.2 📐 AC9M3N06

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This free activity gives children eight mixed sums to solve in columns. Some questions ask them to add, some ask them to subtract, so the child must read each sign carefully before starting. The numbers are 3-digit, and the questions mix easy ones with those that need carrying or borrowing (regrouping).

Working one column at a time, from the ones to the tens to the hundreds, keeps the work neat and the answers correct. It is a simple, useful practice sheet for home or the classroom, and it can be printed and solved again and again.

How to play

Look at the sign first. A plus sign means add, a minus sign means subtract.
Start with the ones column on the right. Add or subtract those two digits before moving left.
If an addition column makes 10 or more, carry 1 to the next column. If a subtraction column is too small, borrow 1 from the next column.
Finish the tens and then the hundreds column, and write the full answer below the line.

Mixing addition and subtraction on one page is a small but important step. Your child cannot work on autopilot; they have to check the sign, choose the right method, and then follow the column steps carefully. This builds accuracy as well as speed. Along the way children practise place value, carrying and borrowing, and the habit of lining digits up neatly so the ones, tens and hundreds stay in their own columns. If a mistake appears, ask your child to point to the column where it happened and redo just that step. Short, regular practice works better than long sessions.

Frequently asked questions

What age is this 3-digit column practice for?

It suits children aged about 7 to 9, usually Class 2 and Class 3. Children who are confident with 2-digit columns are ready for this sheet. If your child is still learning to carry, start with 2-digit addition first and return to this one later.

What is the difference between carrying and borrowing?

Carrying happens in addition when a column adds up to 10 or more, so 1 is carried to the next column on the left. Borrowing happens in subtraction when the top digit is too small, so 1 ten or 1 hundred is taken from the next column.

Why are addition and subtraction mixed on the same page?

Mixing the two makes children read each question before they begin instead of repeating one method. This small pause builds careful habits and helps them see how addition and subtraction undo each other, which is useful when checking answers.

How can my child check the answers?

For an addition question, subtract one of the numbers from the answer; you should get the other number back. For a subtraction question, add the answer to the number that was taken away; you should get the starting number.

Can I print this activity for a whole class?

Yes. The activity is free to print and use at home or in the classroom. Each time you reload it you get a fresh set of eight questions, so children can practise the same skill without copying each other.

More column addition & subtraction

🧮 Column Addition and Subtraction (4-Digit)🧮 Column Addition & Subtraction · Age 8-10 🧮 Column Subtraction with Borrowing (3-Digit)🧮 Column Addition & Subtraction · Age 8-10 🧮 Column Addition with Carrying (2-Digit)🧮 Column Addition & Subtraction · Age 6-8

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Updated 5 Nov 2026