Award-Winning Subtraction
Tutors
Award-Winning
Subtraction
Tutors
Private 1-on-1 tutoring, weekly live classes for academic support, test prep & enrichment, practice tests and diagnostics, and more to elevate grades and test scores.
Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
UniversitiesSchools & Universities
DeliveredHours Delivered
ProficiencyGrowth in Proficiency
Who needs tutoring?
No obligation. Takes ~1 minute.

I'm not tutoring or buried in my textbooks, you will either find me rock climbing at the Triangle Rock Club, playing Ultimate Frisbee, working on my car, or enjoying the great outdoors (beaches, mountains, forests--you name it, I love it). On rainy weekends I enjoy tinkering with computers and old electronics, playing Pokemon, or picking at my guitar.

I am an interdisciplinary educator with an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. My background is primarily in integrated arts learning and museum education and I specialize in visual arts, history and art history, and object-based learning. In all subjects, I take a creative, inquiry-based and learner-centered approach, designing opportunities for each unique individual to meet their learning goals.
I am a recent graduate from a masters program in biostatistics at Columbia University. I received my Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences, with a focus in neurobiology at Northwestern University. In August, I will be starting a doctoral program in biostatistics at NYU. I was a teaching assistant at Columbia University in my department and also have tutored graduate students and undergraduates privately as well. My primary areas of tutoring are math and statistics coursework in addition to math sections on standardized tests such as the GRE and GMAT. I am very passionate about helping students feel more confident and excited about math. In my spare time, I enjoy running, playing piano, and spending time with friends and family.
I am a graduate of Wesleyan University, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with High Honors. With eight years of experience working in education, I've tutored students in math, science, history, and English, as well as helped students prepare for standardized tests. I've guided adults towards passing the US Citizenship Exam and taught English in India, where I lived for six months. Whenever I work with a student I personalize the lessons to fit their particular learning style, since I know every student is unique and having the right fit can make all the difference in making learning fun and effective. My strengths are tutoring the social sciences and humanities, as well as making math and standardized tests approachable to students that normally don't like those subjects. In my spare time I like traveling, spending time in the outdoors (climbing & backpacking), meditation, and playing soccer. Next fall I will be beginning my PhD in Education at Harvard University.
I am a rising sophomore at Harvard College and am about to declare as a Mechanical Engineering concentrator, working towards a Bachelor of Science degree. I've always enjoyed sharing my knowledge with my peers and those around me and have done so in both formal and informal settings. I've been a tutor for both Math and Spanish programs in high school and enjoyed the strides I made with students. I am willing to tutor any subject I have a background in, but am strong in mathematics, the sciences, Spanish, history, writing, and ACT prep. I enjoy teaching mathematics most due to the joy I can see in children once they master a topic and can answer even pointed questions meant to stump them, and maybe even put their knowledge to real world use. As a tutor, I like to give a strong foundation to orient my student, and then gradually grant them more freedom and independence until they can feel themselves grasp the concept, pointing out pitfalls or common errors along the way; teachers who used these methods on me always left the most lasting impressions. Outside of my studies, I really enjoy listening to music, both old favorites and new interests, reading classics, and gaming/playing basketball with my friends.
I am proud to be a part of Varsity Tutors! I am originally from San Antonio, TX; I completed my undergraduate education at Rice University in Houston where I received a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Currently, I am in my second year of medical school at Baylor College of Medicine.
I'm Solange - a recent graduate from Harvard where I studied Sociology & Women's Studies. I've been tutoring for eight years now, and have worked with a wide range of ages and in a wide range of subjects. Some of my specialties are college prep/test taking II worked in the admissions office on campus); social sciences; and literature/writing.
I am a graduate of Washington University in St Louis, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in History with minors in Humanities and Anthropology. Since graduation, I have worked as a tutor, teacher, and director of tutors at a charter public middle school in Boston. During this time I also received my Masters in Mild to Moderate Disabilities from Simmons College. I have worked extensively with students with a range of abilities, including students with specific learning disabilities, emotional impairments, dyslexia, and ADHD. My teaching experience has given me a deep understanding of the knowledge and habits essential to academic success and has given me the opportunity to hone a variety of strategies that ensure students at each level can achieve their academic goals. While I tutor a broad range of subjects, my favorite ones are Reading, Elementary/Middle School Math, History, and Test Prep. In my experience, tutoring is the most rewarding when a student has that "aha!" moment and achieves a new level of understanding and confidence in his/her abilities. I am a firm believer in the transformative power of education, and I see my role to be that of a facilitator and coach who is there to help the student reach his/her goals through individualized support and rigorous practice. In my free time, I enjoy reading, running, practicing my Spanish, and discovering new music. I am also an avid traveler and just got back from a 3 month trip to South America. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you!
I am a junior Mechanical Engineering major at Yale, and I hope to become a Naval Aviator after college. I am also a varsity sailor, and enjoy playing music with friends when I can get some free time. I have been tutoring my fellow students throughout my entire academic career, and I would best describe my tutoring style as one that adapts to each students' needs. For example, I have always tried to frame questions in a different way so that the student can better understand the question. Some students need visual representations of numbers and systems to understand them, and others benefit more by understanding the concepts behind each formula. I prefer to tutor in math and physics, and especially with real world application problems. I hope to help students improve their standardized test scores and their understanding of the math and sciences so that they can achieve their academic goals!
I am an aspiring applied mathematician, with particular interest in image processing and climate science. I graduated in May 2017 from Washington University in St. Louis with a bachelor's in physics and mathematics, and am beginning a PhD program in September 2017 at the University of Chicago in Computational and Applied Mathematics. I've tutored introductory physics students for three years and enjoyed it thoroughly, as a chance to help other students while revisiting fundamental concepts to enhance my own knowledge. I'm eager to continue reaching out and helping students of math and physics to succeed and, furthermore, to appreciate the beauty and power of these subjects.
I am a graduate of McGill University (BA First Class Honors) and the University of Edinburgh (MSc First Class Honors with Distinction) with over eight years of tutoring experience. I am currently a curriculum developer for a company which creates relatable and culturally-literate courses for middle and high-schools, and am particularly adept at communicating and explaining concepts in a quirky, engaging, and intelligent manner. I was named Scotland International Young Thinker of the Year 2014 for exactly that sort of work. Much of my tutoring background is in test-prep and essay coaching, which I enjoy because it allows the tutor and student to think strategically together, and work as a team to achieve concrete results. I have worked with students ranging in age from 6-32, and believe that, in an educational context, a few jokes never hurt anybody. I love reading and learning, and my educational approach is centered around making the material just as engaging to students as it is to me. I think J.K. Rowlings, the writer of Harry Potter, is just as brilliant as Stephen Hawking, and in my free time, I manage my (terrible) fantasy baseball team, write songs for my comedy band, and crack jokes about terrible science-fiction movies with my friends.
I am comfortable tutoring math subjects up to multivariable calculus and differential equations, as well as college physics.
Testimonials
Because the right Subtraction tutor makes all the difference.
Average Session Rating – Based on 3.4M Learner Ratings
Top 20 Math Subjects
Top 20 Subjects
Frequently Asked Questions
Many students struggle with subtraction because it requires understanding that numbers can decrease, which is a different concept from addition. Common challenges include:
- Regrouping (borrowing): Students often forget to regroup or do it incorrectly when the ones digit in the minuend is smaller than the ones digit in the subtrahend.
- Negative numbers: Subtracting negative numbers confuses students who haven't internalized that subtracting a negative is the same as adding a positive.
- Word problems: Identifying when subtraction is needed and setting up the problem correctly trips up many learners.
- Number sense: Some students don't have a strong intuition for what the answer should be, making it hard to catch their own mistakes.
Personalized tutoring helps students work through each of these challenges at their own pace, building confidence and mastery.
The best subtraction tutors combine subject expertise with the ability to explain concepts in multiple ways. Look for tutors who:
- Use manipulatives and visual models: Great tutors use number lines, base-ten blocks, area models, and other tools to make subtraction concrete before moving to abstract algorithms.
- Diagnose underlying gaps: They identify whether a student's struggle is with number sense, place value, regrouping, or something else—then address the root cause.
- Build number sense first: They help students estimate answers and understand the relationship between addition and subtraction, not just memorize procedures.
- Adapt to learning style: They recognize that some students learn best through hands-on activities, visual representations, or verbal explanations.
Varsity Tutors connects you with tutors who excel at breaking down subtraction in ways that click for your student.
Most students begin understanding subtraction concepts around age 4-5 through informal activities (like removing objects from a group), but formal instruction typically starts in kindergarten and first grade. The typical progression is:
- K-1st grade: Subtraction within 10 using objects, fingers, and number lines; understanding "take away" and "difference" meanings.
- 2nd grade: Subtraction within 20, then within 100 using strategies like counting on, decomposing, and regrouping with two-digit numbers.
- 3rd-4th grade: Multi-digit subtraction with regrouping; understanding subtraction in context of word problems.
- 5th+ grade: Subtracting decimals, fractions, and negative numbers as part of broader algebra readiness.
If your student is struggling at any of these levels, a tutor can identify which concepts need reinforcement and help them catch up.
Confidence grows when students experience success and understand why the process works. Here's how personalized tutoring helps:
- Start where they are: Tutors begin with concepts your student has mastered, then build from there rather than jumping to harder problems.
- Use multiple strategies: Different approaches work for different people. Tutors teach students to choose the strategy that makes most sense to them.
- Practice strategically: Rather than drilling random problems, tutors focus on problems that target specific gaps, so improvement feels real and measurable.
- Celebrate progress: Regular check-ins help students see how far they've come, building both confidence and motivation.
With consistent practice and personalized feedback, most students move from anxiety to competence quickly.
Mental subtraction is a skill that develops when students build strong number sense and learn efficient strategies. Tutors help by:
- Teaching compensation strategies: For example, to subtract 9, students can subtract 10 and add 1 back—a much easier mental move.
- Building on number bonds: Students who know that 10 is made of 7 + 3 can quickly figure out 10 - 7 = 3.
- Using real-world contexts: Making change, calculating time differences, and similar everyday situations make mental subtraction purposeful and practical.
- Developing automaticity: Through spaced practice, students internalize basic facts (like 15 - 8) so they become automatic, freeing up mental energy for larger problems.
Mental math fluency typically improves significantly when a student works with a tutor who focuses on strategy development rather than just speed.
Word problems require students to translate English into mathematical notation, which is harder than solving a problem already in equation form. Common struggles include:
- Not recognizing when subtraction is the operation needed (especially when language is indirect, like "How many more?" or "What's left?")
- Getting confused by extra information or multi-step problems
- Understanding what the answer represents in context
Tutors help by teaching students to:
- Identify keywords and translate them systematically (though language varies, so keyword hunting has limits)
- Draw pictures, make number lines, or act out the problem to visualize what's happening
- Ask themselves: "What do I know? What am I looking for? What operation makes sense?"
- Check their answer by asking if it makes sense in the context of the problem
With guided practice, students develop the confidence to tackle word problems independently.
Parents play a crucial role in reinforcing tutoring concepts. Here are evidence-based ways to help:
- Use daily situations: Practice subtraction naturally through cooking ("We need 3 eggs; we have 5"), playing games, or making change at the store.
- Ask thinking questions: Instead of telling your student the answer, ask "How could we figure this out?" or "Does that make sense?"
- Avoid pressure: Research shows that math anxiety can interfere with learning. Keep practice sessions short, positive, and pressure-free.
- Reinforce tutor strategies: Ask your tutor which strategies they're teaching so you can use the same language and approach at home.
- Celebrate effort, not just correctness: Praise problem-solving processes and persistence, not just right answers.
When parents and tutors work together with consistent messaging, students typically make faster progress.
Let’s find your perfect tutor
Answer a few quick questions. We’ll recommend the right plan and match you with a top 5% tutor.


