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Find the start in a story

Grade 2 math · Fieldbook Learning

Name ______________________ Date __________

What did they have at the start? Work backward.

  1. Omar has some blocks. Omar gets 14 more. Now Omar has 40. How many did Omar have at first?
  2. Mo has some pencils. Mo gets 21 more. Now Mo has 38. How many did Mo have at first?
  3. Hana has some stamps. Hana gets 13 more. Now Hana has 33. How many did Hana have at first?
  4. Eli has some blocks. Eli gets 10 more. Now Eli has 40. How many did Eli have at first?
  5. Dara has some blocks. Dara gives away 29. Now Dara has 14 left. How many did Dara have at first?
  6. Gus has some marbles. Gus gives away 14. Now Gus has 7 left. How many did Gus have at first?
  7. Ana has some buttons. Ana gives away 14. Now Ana has 9 left. How many did Ana have at first?
  8. Eli has some shells. Eli gives away 13. Now Eli has 12 left. How many did Eli have at first?
  9. Fay has some buttons. Fay gets 12 more. Now Fay has 59. How many did Fay have at first?
  10. Pia has some stickers. Pia gets 20 more. Now Pia has 52. How many did Pia have at first?
  11. Ben has some marbles. Ben gets 10 more. Now Ben has 35. How many did Ben have at first?
  12. Omar has some stickers. Omar gets 26 more. Now Omar has 48. How many did Omar have at first?
  13. Eli has some stickers. Eli gives away 31. Now Eli has 10 left. How many did Eli have at first?
  14. Fay has some shells. Fay gives away 37. Now Fay has 13 left. How many did Fay have at first?
  15. Kai has some stamps. Kai gives away 30. Now Kai has 28 left. How many did Kai have at first?
  16. Dara has some books. Dara gives away 52. Now Dara has 4 left. How many did Dara have at first?
  17. Pia has some stamps. Pia gets 25 more. Now Pia has 48. How many did Pia have at first?
  18. Omar has some blocks. Omar gets 32 more. Now Omar has 60. How many did Omar have at first?
  19. Nia has some cards. Nia gets 36 more. Now Nia has 57. How many did Nia have at first?
  20. Lia has some stamps. Lia gets 29 more. Now Lia has 50. How many did Lia have at first?
More free practice: fieldbooklearning.com/ca/practice/grade-2/find-the-start-in-a-story/

Play it as a quiz game

20 of these questions as multiple choice, with near-miss wrong answers, ready for Kahoot or Blooket.

  1. Download the game's own question template: in Kahoot, Add question → Import spreadsheet; in Blooket, Create a set → Spreadsheet import.
  2. Click the matching button below, then click the first empty question row of the template and paste.
  3. Save the template (Kahoot needs .xlsx, Blooket .csv) and upload it.
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Answer key: Find the start in a story

  1. 26
  2. 17
  3. 20
  4. 30
  5. 43
  6. 21
  7. 23
  8. 25
  9. 47
  10. 32
  11. 25
  12. 22
  13. 41
  14. 50
  15. 58
  16. 56
  17. 23
  18. 28
  19. 21
  20. 21