Addition and Subtraction
30 free practice questions with explanations
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PassNova has 30 free Functional Skills Maths L1 practice questions on Addition and Subtraction, each with a clear explanation. Practise them in the browser with instant feedback — 100% free, no sign-up, on any device. Updated for 2026.
Addition and Subtraction: example questions & answers
30 worked examples with answers and explanations below. Practise them in the browser with instant feedback on every answer.
A shop has 145 items in stock. They receive 237 more items. How many items do they have now?
- A272
- B382✓
- C392
- D482
Answer: 145 + 237 = 382. Add hundreds (1 + 2 = 3), tens (4 + 3 = 7), ones (5 + 7 = 12, so 2 and carry 1).
What is 234 + 456?
- A680
- B690✓
- C700
- D790
Answer: 234 + 456 = 690. (200 + 400 = 600, 30 + 50 = 80, 4 + 6 = 10 = 690).
A factory produces 1,234 units on Monday and 1,456 units on Tuesday. What is the total?
- A2,590
- B2,690✓
- C2,790
- D2,890
Answer: 1,234 + 1,456 = 2,690.
What is 500 - 234?
- A276
- B365
- C234
- D266✓
Answer: 500 - 234 = 266. Method: 500 - 234 = 500 - 200 - 30 - 4 = 300 - 30 - 4 = 266.
Sarah had £450. She spent £127 on a coat. How much money does she have left?
- A£333
- B£423
- C£577
- D£323✓
Answer: £450 - £127 = £323.
What is 1,234 + 2,567?
- A3,801✓
- B3,891
- C3,991
- D3,811
Answer: 1,234 + 2,567 = 3,801. (1000 + 2000 = 3000, 200 + 500 = 700, 30 + 60 = 90, 4 + 7 = 11).
What is 3,000 - 1,234?
- A1,666
- B1,756
- C1,766✓
- D1,776
Answer: 3,000 - 1,234 = 1,766.
A car journey is 234 miles to the first city and 156 miles to the second city. What is the total distance?
- A290
- B340
- C380
- D390✓
Answer: 234 + 156 = 390 miles.
What is 45 + 37 - 22?
- A82
- B70
- C104
- D60✓
Answer: 45 + 37 = 82, then 82 - 22 = 60.
A shop starts with 567 items, sells 234, then receives 145 more. How many do they have?
- A478✓
- B488
- C578
- D588
Answer: 567 - 234 = 333, then 333 + 145 = 478.
What is 1,000 - 456?
- A544✓
- B554
- C564
- D644
Answer: 1,000 - 456 = 544.
A worker earns £234 one week and £256 the next. What is their total earnings?
- A£480
- B£510
- C£490✓
- D£500
Answer: £234 + £256 = £490.
What is 456 - 234 + 100?
- A222
- B322✓
- C356
- D422
Answer: 456 - 234 = 222, then 222 + 100 = 322.
A budget is £5,000. Spending is £2,345. How much is left?
- A£2,655✓
- B£2,555
- C£3,655
- D£2,755
Answer: £5,000 - £2,345 = £2,655.
What is 234 - 67?
- A167✓
- B177
- C267
- D301
Answer: 234 - 67 = 167.
Three people collect donations: £150, £235, and £175. What is the total?
- A£760
- B£660
- C£460
- D£560✓
Answer: £150 + £235 + £175 = £560.
What is 789 + 211?
- A900
- B1000✓
- C1100
- D1200
Answer: 789 + 211 = 1,000.
What is 2,500 - 1,234?
- A1,166
- B1,266✓
- C1,366
- D1,466
Answer: 2,500 - 1,234 = 1,266.
A book costs £12.50 and a pen costs £3.50. What is the total cost?
- A£18
- B£17
- C£16✓
- D£15
Answer: £12.50 + £3.50 = £16.
What is 567 + 234 - 100?
- A601
- B701✓
- C801
- D901
Answer: 567 + 234 = 801, then 801 - 100 = 701.
What is 1,234 - 567?
- A567
- B667✓
- C767
- D867
Answer: 1,234 - 567 = 667.
A school library has 2,345 books. They receive 456 new books. How many do they have now?
- A2,801✓
- B2,811
- C2,901
- D3,901
Answer: 2,345 + 456 = 2,801.
A sales rep drives 48 miles on Monday, 126 miles on Tuesday and 87 miles on Wednesday. How many miles is that in total?
- A271 miles
- B261 miles✓
- C251 miles
- D161 miles
Answer: Add the three distances: 48 + 126 = 174, and 174 + 87 = 261 miles.
A builder's invoice shows materials £1,275 and labour £860. The customer has already paid a £500 deposit. How much is still owed?
- A£1,635✓
- B£2,635
- C£1,535
- D£915
Answer: First add the two charges: £1,275 + £860 = £2,135. Then take off the deposit: £2,135 − £500 = £1,635.
A hall owns 320 chairs. 48 of them are broken and 185 good chairs are set out for a meeting. How many good chairs are left in the store?
- A183
- B135
- C87✓
- D97
Answer: Take away the broken chairs first: 320 − 48 = 272 good chairs. Then take away the ones set out: 272 − 185 = 87.
A warehouse starts the week with 2,340 boxes. It sends out 1,185 boxes and then takes a delivery of 750. How many boxes does it have now?
- A405
- B2,775
- C1,905✓
- D1,805
Answer: Subtract what was sent out: 2,340 − 1,185 = 1,155. Then add the delivery: 1,155 + 750 = 1,905 boxes.
Amir's weekly pay is £412.50. Deductions of £68.75 are taken off. What is his take-home pay?
- A£353.75
- B£481.25
- C£343.75✓
- D£344.25
Answer: Take-home pay is pay minus deductions: £412.50 − £68.75 = £343.75. Adding the deductions instead gives £481.25.
Ella wants to run 40 km this week. So far she has run 8.5 km, 12 km, 6.75 km and 9.25 km. How much further does she need to run?
- A2.5 km
- B36.5 km
- C4.5 km
- D3.5 km✓
Answer: Add the four runs: 8.5 + 12 + 6.75 + 9.25 = 36.5 km. Then subtract from the target: 40 − 36.5 = 3.5 km.
An electricity meter read 30,482 units last month and reads 31,205 units now. How many units have been used?
- A723✓
- B733
- C823
- D1,723
Answer: Subtract the earlier reading from the later one: 31,205 − 30,482 = 723 units.
By rounding each number to the nearest thousand, which is the best estimate for 4,870 + 3,120?
- A9,000
- B8,000✓
- C7,000
- D80,000
Answer: 4,870 rounds to 5,000 and 3,120 rounds to 3,000. 5,000 + 3,000 = 8,000. The exact answer is 7,990, so the estimate is a good check.