Subtracting Tens
- First line up the numbers as per the place value (all the tens and the units lined up vertically). Put a line under the last number.
40 30- Subtract the ones place numbers. (0 - 0 = 0). Write the zero in the ones place column.
40 30 0- Subtract the tens place digits (4 - 3 = 1) and write the answer below the line in the tens place column.
40 30 10
Subtracting Two Digit Numbers
How to subtract two-digit numbers (for example 75 - 43).
- First line up the numbers as per the place value (all the tens and the units lined up vertically). Draw a line under the last number.
75 43- Subtract the numbers in the ones place. (5-3=2) and write the 2 below the line in the ones place column.
75 43 2- Subtract the digits in the tens place column (7-4 = 3) and write the answer below the line in the tens place column.
75 43 32Note: If the ones place number you are subtracting is greater than the top ones place number, then decrease the top tens place number by 1 and increase the top ones place value by 10 before subtracting.
Subtracting Three Digit Numbers
How to subtract three digit numbers (for example 746 - 463)?
- First line up the numbers as per the place value (all the hundreds,tens and the ones lined up vertically). Draw a line under the last number.
746 463- Subtract the numbers in the ones place column (6 - 3 = 3) and write the answer in the ones place column.
746 463 3- Subtract the digits in the tens place column (4 - 6 =?). Borrow 1 from the hundreds place to make the top tens place value greater than the bottom tens place value. After this is done, subtract (14 - 6 = 8) and write the 8 below the line in the tens place column.
6746 463 83- Subtract the numbers in the hundreds place column (6 - 4 = 2) and write the answer below the line in the hundreds place column.
6746 463 283
Subtracting Hundreds
- First line up the digits as per the place value (all the hundreds, tens and the ones lined up vertically). Draw a line under the bottom number.
400 300- Subtract the numbers in the ones place digits. (0 - 0 = 0) and write the answer below the line in the ones place column.
400 300 0- Subtract the tens place numbers (0 - 0 = 0) and place the answer below the line and to the tens place column
400 300 00- Subtract the digits in the hundreds place column (4- 3 = 1) and write the answer below the line in the hundreds place column.
400 300 100
The Subtraction facts for 0, 1 and 2 are in the following table.
ZERO | ||||
0-0=0 | 1-0=1 | 2-0=2 | 3-0=3 | 4-0=4 |
ONE | ||||
1-1=0 | 2-1=1 | 3-1=2 | 4-1=3 | 5-1=4 |
TWO | ||||
2-2=0 | 3-2=1 | 4-2=2 | 5-2=3 | 6-2=4 |
When 0 is subtracted to a first digit the answer is the first digit. (e.g. 6-0 = 6)
Subtracting 1 to any number is like decreasing by 1.
Subtracting 2 to any number is like decreasing by 2.
Mentally Subtracting Two-Digit Numbers
How to mentally subtract two-digit numbers?
Subtract 44 from 93.
- First subtract the two tens place numbers (9 - 4 = 5)
- If the bottom ones place number is greater than the top ones place number then decrease the answer for the tens digit by one (5 - 1 = 4) and increase the top ones place digit by 10 (3 + 10 = 13). Now subtract the two ones place numbers (13 - 4 = 9). Write the answer 49.
Subtract 62 from 84.
- First subtract the numbers in the tens place (8-6 = 2)
- Subtract the numbers in the ones place (4 - 2 = 2)
- Write the answer of 22
How to subtracting two numbers (for example 78 - 56 ) with a calculator?
- Type the first number by pressing the 7 button and the 8 button
- Press the minus operation button
- Type the number 56 by pressing the 5 button and the 6 button
- Press the = button to get the result
Try some yourself:
Exercise 1
- 1000 - 877 =
- 1000 - 233 =
- 1000 - 534 =
- 10,000 - 2455 =
- 10,000 - 9876 =
- 10,000 - 1012 =
- 56 - 57 =
- 2323 - 57 =
- 1888 - 321 =
- 567 - 38 =
Answers to exercise 1
- 123
- 767
- 466
- 7545
- 0124
- 8988
- 1
- 943
- 9679
- 529