Using 2nd Grade Math Worksheets to Teach 3-Digit Subtraction With ... - Free Printable

Let's solve this step by step.

We are given a subtraction worksheet titled "Subtraction Shopping" with 16 problems. Each problem has a letter on a price tag, and we need to solve the subtraction problems (all 3-digit subtraction without regrouping, as stated). Then, we'll use the answers to decode a riddle at the bottom:

> "What did the duck say after he went shopping?"

---

Step 1: Solve each subtraction problem

We’ll go through each one:

---

1. m:
$ 486 - 344 = 142 $

2. $:
$ 789 - 175 = 614 $

3. p:
$ 889 - 468 = 421 $

4. u:
$ 497 - 182 = 315 $

5. $:
$ 857 - 547 = 310 $

6. o:
$ 744 - 344 = 400 $

7. $:
$ 975 - 565 = 410 $

8. l:
$ 896 - 344 = 552 $

9. t:
$ 736 - 425 = 311 $

10. $:
$ 983 - 152 = 831 $

11. y:
$ 839 - 223 = 616 $

12. n:
$ 689 - 326 = 363 $

13. $:
$ 755 - 240 = 515 $

14. i:
$ 489 - 388 = 101 $

15. $:
$ 486 - 133 = 353 $

16. b:
$ 677 - 141 = 536 $

---

Now let’s collect all the answers and match them to their letters:

| Letter | Answer |
|--------|--------|
| m | 142 |
| $ | 614 |
| p | 421 |
| u | 315 |
| $ | 310 |
| o | 400 |
| $ | 410 |
| l | 552 |
| t | 311 |
| $ | 831 |
| y | 616 |
| n | 363 |
| $ | 515 |
| i | 101 |
| $ | 353 |
| b | 536 |

Wait — some letters are repeated, and there are dollar signs ($), which might be placeholders or just part of the design. But notice: The riddle answer line at the bottom gives us clues:

> _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
> 421 315 311 101 311 400 363 142 616 536 101 552 552

So we need to match the answers to the numbers in that sequence.

Let’s look at the sequence of numbers in the riddle:

> 421, 315, 311, 101, 311, 400, 363, 142, 616, 536, 101, 552, 552

Now let’s map each number to its corresponding letter from our solved problems:

From earlier:

- 421 → p
- 315 → u
- 311 → t
- 101 → i
- 400 → o
- 363 → n
- 142 → m
- 616 → y
- 536 → b
- 552 → l

Now let’s plug them in:

Sequence:
1. 421 → p
2. 315 → u
3. 311 → t
4. 101 → i
5. 311 → t
6. 400 → o
7. 363 → n
8. 142 → m
9. 616 → y
10. 536 → b
11. 101 → i
12. 552 → l
13. 552 → l

So the word is:

p u t i t o n m y b i l l

But wait — "put it on my bill" is a common phrase!

Let’s write it clearly:

P U T I T O N M Y B I L L

That makes sense.

But let's double-check:

- 421 → p ✔
- 315 → u ✔
- 311 → t ✔
- 101 → i ✔
- 311 → t ✔
- 400 → o ✔
- 363 → n ✔
- 142 → m ✔
- 616 → y ✔
- 536 → b ✔
- 101 → i ✔
- 552 → l ✔
- 552 → l ✔

Yes! So the full phrase is:

> "Put it on my bill."

But the riddle asks:

> "What did the duck say after he went shopping?"

And the answer is:

> "Put it on my bill."

This is a pun — because ducks have bills, and “bill” also means a receipt.

---

Final Answer:

✔ "Put it on my bill."

It’s a play on words: the duck says “Put it on my bill,” meaning both “my receipt” and “my beak.”

---

Summary of Steps:

1. Solved all 16 subtraction problems.
2. Matched the answers to the numbered sequence at the bottom.
3. Used the letters associated with those answers.
4. Decoded the riddle.

✔ Answer: Put it on my bill.