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CBSE Class 3 Mathematics★ 6–8 marks · CBSE Class 3 Mathematics (Math-Magic) Chapter 3

Give and Take

Addition and subtraction with 3-digit numbers. Mental math strategies. Word problems involving money, distance, and quantity. Estimation. CBSE Class 3 Mathematics (Math-Magic) Chapter 3.

⏱ 10 min readMedium difficulty✓ Free · NCERT-aligned

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By the end of this chapter you'll be able to…

1Add two 3-digit numbers with and without carrying (regrouping)
2Subtract two 3-digit numbers with and without borrowing (regrouping)
3Solve word problems involving addition and subtraction of money (₹), distance (km, m), and quantity
4Use mental math strategies: adding by breaking numbers (245 + 130 = 245 + 100 + 30), compensating (99 + 47 = 100 + 47 − 1)
5Estimate sums and differences by rounding to nearest ten or hundred

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Why this chapter matters

Addition and subtraction of 3-digit numbers — with and without carrying/borrowing — are the core arithmetic operations children will use every day for the rest of their lives. This chapter teaches the column method, mental math strategies, estimation, and word problems involving money (₹), distance (km/m), and quantity. Mastering 'carry' and 'borrow' here prevents persistent errors in all future math.

Before you start — revise these

A 5-minute refresher here will save you 30 minutes of confusion below.

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Class 3 Mathematics Chapter 2: Fun with Numbers

Must understand place value (H, T, O) and reading/writing 3-digit numbers before adding or subtracting them.

Give and Take

Adding 3-Digit Numbers

Addition means putting things TOGETHER. When we add, we find the TOTAL.

Addition Without Carrying

When the digits in each column add up to LESS than 10, we simply add column by column.

  234
+ 345
-----
  579

Steps:

Add ones: 4 + 5 = 9
Add tens: 3 + 4 = 7
Add hundreds: 2 + 3 = 5
Answer: 579

Addition With Carrying

When a column adds up to 10 or MORE, we CARRY to the next column.

  347
+ 285
-----
  632

Steps:

Add ones: 7 + 5 = 12. Write 2, carry 1 to tens.
Add tens: 4 + 8 + 1 (carry) = 13. Write 3, carry 1 to hundreds.
Add hundreds: 3 + 2 + 1 (carry) = 6.
Answer: 632

More Practice

  506         729         888
+ 234        + 185        + 112
-----        -----        -----
  740         914         1000

Subtracting 3-Digit Numbers

Subtraction means taking AWAY or finding the DIFFERENCE.

Subtraction Without Borrowing

When each digit in the top number is BIGGER than the digit below, subtract column by column.

  568
- 234
-----
  334

Steps:

Subtract ones: 8 - 4 = 4
Subtract tens: 6 - 3 = 3
Subtract hundreds: 5 - 2 = 3
Answer: 334

Subtraction With Borrowing

When a digit in the top is SMALLER than the digit below, we BORROW from the next column.

  523
- 346
-----
  177

Steps:

Subtract ones: 3 is smaller than 6. Borrow 1 ten from the tens column. 3 becomes 13. Tens column: 2 becomes 1. 13 - 6 = 7.
Subtract tens: 1 is smaller than 4. Borrow 1 hundred from hundreds. 1 becomes 11. Hundreds: 5 becomes 4. 11 - 4 = 7.
Subtract hundreds: 4 - 3 = 1.
Answer: 177

More Practice

  600         845         911
- 234        - 367        - 678
-----        -----        -----
  366         478         233

Mental Math Strategies

You don't always need pencil and paper! Try these mental strategies.

Strategy 1: Break Apart Numbers

To add 345 + 200:

345 + 200 = 545 (just add the hundreds!)

To add 345 + 30:

345 + 30 = 375 (just add the tens!)

To add 345 + 5:

345 + 5 = 350 (just add the ones!)

Strategy 2: Add in Parts

345 + 123 = ?

First: 345 + 100 = 445
Then: 445 + 20 = 465
Then: 465 + 3 = 468
Answer: 468

Strategy 3: Use Friendly Numbers

197 + 199 = ?

197 + 200 = 397, then subtract 1 = 396
Or: 200 + 200 = 400, subtract 3 (because we added 3 extra) = 397
Wait: 197 = 200 - 3 and 199 = 200 - 1. So (200 + 200) - (3 + 1) = 400 - 4 = 396

Strategy 4: Count On (for Small Numbers)

245 + 8 = ?

Count on from 245: 246, 247, 248, 249, 250, 251, 252, 253
Answer: 253

Word Problems

Problem 1: Shopping

Riya has ₹345. Her mother gives her ₹250 more. How much money does Riya have now?

Solution: ₹345 + ₹250 = ₹595 Riya has ₹595.

Problem 2: Distance

The distance from Rahul's home to school is 780 metres. He walks 345 metres and then takes a bus. How much distance does he travel by bus?

Solution: 780 - 345 = 435 metres Rahul travels 435 metres by bus.

Problem 3: Books

A library has 567 books. They buy 234 new books. How many books are there now? Answer: 567 + 234 = 801 books.

Problem 4: Stamps

Amit has 450 stamps. He gives 175 stamps to his friend. How many stamps does Amit have left? Answer: 450 - 175 = 275 stamps.

Problem 5: School Trip

234 students from Class 3 and 198 students from Class 4 are going on a trip. How many students in total? Answer: 234 + 198 = 432 students.

Estimation

We estimate to get a QUICK, ROUGH answer. We ROUND numbers to the nearest 100 or 10.

Rounding to Nearest 100

Number	Rounded to 100
234	200
289	300
350	400
451	500
999	1000

Rule: If the tens digit is 50 or more, round UP. If less than 50, round DOWN.

Estimation in Word Problems

Ravi wants to buy a toy for ₹234 and a book for ₹189. About how much will he spend?

Round: ₹234 → ₹200, ₹189 → ₹200
Estimated total: ₹200 + ₹200 = ₹400
Actual total: ₹234 + ₹189 = ₹423
Our estimate of ₹400 is CLOSE to the actual!

Common Mistakes

'Forgetting to carry in addition.' — When the sum of a column is 10 or more, you MUST carry 1 to the next column.
'Forgetting to borrow in subtraction.' — When a digit is smaller than the digit below it, borrow 1 from the next column.
'Adding from left to right.' — Always start from the ONES column (right side) when adding or subtracting.
'365 + 0 = 0.' — Adding 0 does NOT change the number. 365 + 0 = 365.
'500 - 234 = 276.' — Let's check: 500 - 234 = 266, not 276. Always CHECK your answer by adding: 266 + 234 = 500.

Quick Self-Test

Q1: 345 + 123 = ? A1: 468.

Q2: 600 - 234 = ? A2: 366.

Q3: There are 345 boys and 298 girls in a school. How many students in total? A3: 345 + 298 = 643 students.

Q4: A water tank has 780 litres of water. 345 litres are used. How much water is left? A4: 780 - 345 = 435 litres.

Q5: Round 567 to the nearest 100. A5: 600 (because 67 is more than 50).

Q6: 234 + 89 = ? A6: 323.

Q7: 905 - 678 = ? A7: 227.

Q8: Estimate: 423 + 389 (round to nearest hundred first). A8: 400 + 400 = 800 (actual: 812).

Key formulas & results

Everything you need to memorise, in one card. Screenshot this for revision.

Addition with carrying

Line up digits by place value (H under H, T under T, O under O). Add ones first. If sum ≥ 10, write the ones digit and CARRY the tens digit to the next column. Repeat for tens and hundreds. Example: 347 + 285 → Ones: 7+5=12 (write 2, carry 1), Tens: 4+8+1=13 (write 3, carry 1), Hundreds: 3+2+1=6 → Answer: 632.

Always start from the ONES column (rightmost). Carrying means regrouping 10 ones as 1 ten, 10 tens as 1 hundred.

Subtraction with borrowing

Line up digits by place value. Start from ones. If top digit < bottom digit, BORROW 1 from the next left column (1 ten = 10 ones, 1 hundred = 10 tens). Reduce the borrowed-from column by 1. Then subtract. Example: 532 − 278 → Ones: 2−8 not possible, borrow from tens (3→2), 12−8=4, Tens: 2−7 not possible, borrow from hundreds (5→4), 12−7=5, Hundreds: 4−2=2 → Answer: 254.

Borrowing is the reverse of carrying. Always check: answer + subtracted number = original number (verify).

Mental math strategies

Break and add: 245 + 130 = 245 + 100 + 30 = 345 + 30 = 375 · Compensation: 99 + 47 = 100 + 47 − 1 = 147 − 1 = 146 (add 1 to make 100, then subtract 1) · Subtract by parts: 543 − 220 = 543 − 200 − 20 = 343 − 20 = 323

Mental math is FASTER than column method for simple numbers. Practice daily to build number sense.

Estimation (rounding)

Round each number to the nearest 10 or 100, then add/subtract. Example: estimate 247 + 389 → round: 250 + 390 = 640 (actual: 636). Estimation tells you if your answer is 'about right'.

Estimation is a life skill — 'Do I have enough money? About how much will this cost?'

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Common mistakes & fixes

These are the exact errors that cost students marks in board exams. Read them once, save yourself the trouble.

WATCH OUT

✗ Forgetting to add the carried digit or forgetting to reduce after borrowing

✓ Always MARK the carry (write a small 1 above the column) or mark the borrow (cross out and rewrite the reduced digit). Don't do it in your head — write it down.

WATCH OUT

✗ Subtracting the smaller digit from the larger digit regardless of order (e.g., 532 − 278: 2−8 = wrong, doing 8−2 = 6 instead)

✓ ALWAYS subtract bottom from top. If top < bottom, you MUST borrow. Never reverse the digits — that gives a completely wrong answer.

WATCH OUT

✗ In word problems, adding when subtraction is needed (or vice versa)

✓ Read the problem carefully. Keywords: 'total', 'altogether', 'in all', 'sum' → ADD. 'How many left', 'difference', 'how much more', 'remaining' → SUBTRACT. Draw a picture if confused.

NCERT exercises (with solutions)

Every NCERT exercise from this chapter — what it covers and how many questions to expect.

Addition and subtraction practice

Column addition with and without carrying; column subtraction with and without borrowing; mental math sums

Questions

Word problems

Money problems (₹), distance problems (km/m), quantity problems; estimation-based questions

Questions

Practice problems

Try each one yourself before tapping "Show solution". Active recall > rereading.

Q1EASY· Addition

Add: 234 + 145 = ?

▶ Show solution

234 + 145 = 379. (No carrying needed: ones: 4+5=9, tens: 3+4=7, hundreds: 2+1=3.)

Q2MEDIUM· Addition (Carry)

Add: 468 + 287 = ?

▶ Show solution

468 + 287 = 755. (Ones: 8+7=15, write 5, carry 1. Tens: 6+8+1=15, write 5, carry 1. Hundreds: 4+2+1=7.)

Q3MEDIUM· Subtraction (Borrow)

Subtract: 723 − 458 = ?

▶ Show solution

723 − 458 = 265. (Ones: 3−8 not possible, borrow from 2→1, 13−8=5. Tens: 1−5 not possible, borrow from 7→6, 11−5=6. Hundreds: 6−4=2.)

Q4EASY· Word Problem

Riya has ₹350. She buys a book for ₹175. How much money is left with her?

▶ Show solution

Money left = ₹350 − ₹175 = ₹175. (Subtract: 350−175. Ones: 0−5 borrow, 10−5=5. Tens: 4−7 borrow, 14−7=7. Hundreds: 2−1=1.) Riya has ₹175 left.

Q5MEDIUM· Estimation

Estimate the sum of 289 and 412 by rounding to the nearest hundred. Then find the actual sum. How close was your estimate?

▶ Show solution

Rounded to nearest hundred: 289 → 300, 412 → 400. Estimated sum: 300 + 400 = 700. Actual sum: 289 + 412 = 701. The estimate (700) was very close — only 1 less than the actual answer (701). Estimation works!

5-minute revision

The whole chapter, distilled. Read this the night before the exam.

•Addition: line up H, T, O. Start from ones. If sum ≥ 10, carry to next column. Write carry digit above the column
•Subtraction: line up H, T, O. Start from ones. If top < bottom, borrow from next column (1 ten = 10 ones)
•After borrowing, reduce the borrowed column by 1. Always write the reduced digit clearly
•Mental math tricks: break numbers (245+130 = 245+100+30), compensate (99+47 = 100+47−1)
•Word problem keywords: 'total/altogether/sum' = ADD; 'left/remaining/difference/how many more' = SUBTRACT
•Always verify subtraction: (answer + subtracted number) should equal the original number

CBSE marks blueprint

Where the marks come from in this chapter — so you can plan your prep.

Typical chapter weightage: 6–8 marks in Class 3 Mathematics assessment

Question type	Marks each	Typical count	What it tests
Direct sum (2 marks each)	2	2	One addition with carrying, one subtraction with borrowing — step-by-step column method
Word problem (2 marks each)	2	1–2	Money, distance, or quantity — student must identify whether to add or subtract
Mental math / Estimation (1 mark)	1	1–2	Quick addition or subtraction; estimate to nearest ten or hundred

Prep strategy

Practice 2 addition and 2 subtraction sums daily — consistency beats cramming. Use a dedicated practice notebook
Always verify subtraction by adding: answer + subtracted number should equal the original number
Use real-life contexts: 'We spent ₹245 on vegetables and ₹180 on fruits. What's the total? How much change from ₹500?'
Play 'mental math during car rides': 'What is 340 + 160? 500 − 235?'
For borrowing struggles, use physical bundles of sticks — 10 ones = 1 ten bundle. Break a ten bundle to 'borrow' 10 ones

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