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Unit 3: Subtraction

Topic D: Subtraction with Borrowing

When you subtract, the digit that you are taking away may be larger than the top digit in that same column. You must borrow from the column on the left. First, let’s look at two examples using the place value shapes.

Example A: 243 − 128 =

2 hundreds, 4 tens and 3 onesStep 1: 3 ones − 8 ones cannot be done

Borrow one ten and rename it as ten ones. Add the ten ones to the three ones.

2 hundreds 4 tens and 13 onesNow you can subtract: 13 ones − 8 ones = 5 ones

Step 2: Subtract the tens. 3 tens − 2 tens = 1 ten

Step 3: Subtract the hundreds. 2 hundreds − 1 hundred = 1 hundred

Here is the question using numerals.

243 minus 128 equals 115

 

Example B: 350 − 124 =

3 hundreds and 5 tens

Step 1: 0 ones − 4 ones cannot be done

Borrow one ten and rename it as ten ones.

3 hundreds 4 tens and 10 ones

10 ones − 4 ones = 6 ones

Step 2: 4 tens − 2 tens = 2 tens

Step 3: 3 hundreds − 1 hundred = 2 hundreds

This is how the question looks using numerals.

350 minuses 124 equals 226

Exercise One

You may need to borrow 1 ten and rename it as 10 ones to do these subtractions. Check your work using the answer key at the end of the exercise.

  1. 531637
  2. 824537
  3. 379
  4. 284
  5. 637
  6. 545
  7. 257
  8. 846
  9. 4515
  10. 4038
  11. 4520
  12. 7021
  13. 64526
  14. 25814
  15. 78647
  16. 89529
  17. 747109
  18. 642420
  19. 438215
  20. 953838
  21. 532314
  22. 795238
  23. 956348
  24. 574218

Answers to Exercise One

  1. 37
  2. 37
  3. 28
  4. 24
  5. 56
  6. 49
  7. 18
  8. 78
  9. 30
  10. 2
  11. 25
  12. 49
  13. 619
  14. 244
  15. 739
  16. 866
  17. 638
  18. 222
  19. 223
  20. 115
  21. 218
  22. 557
  23. 608
  24. 356

To check your subtraction, add the answer (the difference) to the number you took away. If your subtracting was correct, the result of the adding will equal the number you started with in the subtraction question.

Example C: 726 − 317

Difference: 726317409

To check, add 409 to 317

409+317726

Exercise Two

You may need to borrow 1 ten and rename it as 10 ones to do these subtractions. Use the method for checking your answer beside each question. Check your work using the answer key at the end of the exercise.

  1. 42537 check: 37+542
  2. 836 check:
  3. 917 check:
  4. 704 check:
  5. 6437 check:
  6. 3216 check:
  7. 6516 check:
  8. 9839 check:
  9. 77549 check:
  10. 97426 check:
  11. 48375 check:
  12. 89657 check:
  13. 785627 check:
  14. 961543 check:
  15. 941319 check:
  16. 850434 check:

Answers to Exercise Two

  1. 37
  2. 77
  3. 84
  4. 66
  5. 27
  6. 16
  7. 49
  8. 59
  9. 726
  10. 948
  11. 408
  12. 839
  13. 158
  14. 418
  15. 622
  16. 416

Use this same method of borrowing when you subtract the hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, and so on. Look at the place value shapes as you work through these examples.

Example D: 225 − 162

2 hundreds 2 tens and 5 ones

Step 1: 5 ones − 2 ones = 3 ones

Step 2: 2 tens − 6 tens (can’t be done)

Borrow one hundred and rename it as 10 tens which you add onto the 2 tens.

1 hundred, 12 tens and 3 ones left

12 tens − 6 tens = 6 tens

Step 3: 1 hundred – 1 hundred = 0 hundreds

Note: The 0 in the hundreds is not needed in the answer (063) because it is the first digit and does not have to hold the place.

225 minuses 162 equals 63

Example E: 331 − 145

Step 1: 1 one − 5 ones (can’t be done)

Borrow 1 ten and rename it as 10 ones which you add onto the 1 one.

3 hundreds 3 tens and 1 one

11 ones − 5 ones = 6 ones

Step 2: 2 tens − 4 tens (can’t be done)

Borrow one hundred and rename it as 10 tens which you add onto the 2 tens.

3 hundreds 2 tens and 11 ones

Step 3: 2 hundreds − 1 hundred = 1 hundred331 minuses 145 equals 186, check 186 adds 145 equals 331

Exercise Three

Subtract the following. Check your work using the answer key at the end of the exercise.

  1. 286138148
  2. 481225256
  3. 390135
  4. 734582
  5. 281175
  6. 92568
  7. 260154
  8. 379235
  9. 532290
  10. 8279
  11. 26239
  12. 427183
  13. 452173
  14. 692473
  15. 634273
  16. 465374
  17. 785147
  18. 937258
  19. 946463
  20. 734208
  21. 563154
  22. 782254
  23. 621442

Answers to Exercise Three

  1. 148
  2. 256
  3. 255
  4. 152
  5. 106
  6. 857
  7. 106
  8. 144
  9. 242
  10. 3
  11. 223
  12. 244
  13. 279
  14. 219
  15. 361
  16. 91
  17. 638
  18. 679
  19. 483
  20. 526
  21. 409
  22. 528
  23. 179

Exercise Four

Subtract the following. Check your work using the answer key at the end of the exercise.

  1. 776382
  2. 426327
  3. 957234
  4. 845416
  5. 967173
  6. 406257
  7. 857143
  8. 757129
  9. 567182
  10. 952278
  11. 863389
  12. 689434
  13. 754526
  14. 572493
  15. 714588
  16. 795497
  17. 390256
  18. 745649
  19. 639484
  20. 811173
  21. 678290
  22. 740272
  23. 983876
  24. 839653

Answers to Exercise Four

  1. 394
  2. 99
  3. 723
  4. 429
  5. 794
  6. 149
  7. 714
  8. 628
  9. 385
  10. 674
  11. 474
  12. 255
  13. 228
  14. 79
  15. 126
  16. 298
  17. 134
  18. 96
  19. 155
  20. 638
  21. 388
  22. 468
  23. 107
  24. 186

Now work through this example, where you must also rename one thousand as ten hundreds to do the subtraction.

Example F: 3 245 − 1 678

Step 1: Subtract the ones.

5 minus 8 cannot be done, borrow one ten and rename it 15 ones, 15 ones minus 8 ones equal 7 ones

Step 2: Subtract the tens.

3 tens minus 7 tens cannot be done, borrow 1 hundred and rename it as 13 tens. 13 tens minus 7 tens equal 6 tens.

Step 3: Subtract the hundreds.

1 hundred minus 6 hundreds cannot be done, borrow 1 thousand and rename it as 11 hundreds minus 6 hundreds equal 5 hundreds.

Step 4: Subtract the thousands and check.

2 thousands minus 1 thousand equal 1 thousand. check: 1567+1678 equal 3245

Exercise Five

Find the differences. Check your work using the answer key at the end of the exercise.

  1. 4295724
  2. 8281470
  3. 5564644
  4. 6382882
  5. 8513829
  6. 3527758
  7. 3154205
  8. 2640834
  9. 73554038
  10. 51892348
  11. 42892534
  12. 67531942
  13. 86842916
  14. 74593927
  15. 83606376
  16. 94184739
  17. 757629351
  18. 726418736
  19. 167937325
  20. 125339362
  21. 722099786
  22. 340924538
  23. 4212624762
  24. 5275014789

Answers to Exercise Five

  1. 3571
  2. 7811
  3. 4920
  4. 5500
  5. 7684
  6. 2769
  7. 2949
  8. 1806
  9. 3317
  10. 2841
  11. 1755
  12. 4811
  13. 5768
  14. 3532
  15. 1984
  16. 4679
  17. 66411
  18. 63905
  19. 9468
  20. 3171
  21. 62423
  22. 29554
  23. 17364
  24. 37961

Exercise Six

Find the differences. Check your work using the answer key at the end of the exercise.

  1. 426227381524
  2. 32361594
  3. 46973268
  4. 83214543
  5. 2831289
  6. 56233352
  7. 84286309
  8. 96297258
  9. 52302456
  10. 3682963
  11. 2928518357
  12. 433253187
  13. 8132822595
  14. 5823423678
  15. 282439578
  16. 32451678
  17. 62541733
  18. 52141783
  19. 2324415534
  20. 1612112768
  21. 5350714421
  22. 3158214413
  23. 7162912350
  24. 4461013071

Answers to Exercise Six

  1. 1524
  2. 1642
  3. 1429
  4. 3778
  5. 2542
  6. 2271
  7. 2119
  8. 2371
  9. 2774
  10. 2719
  11. 10928
  12. 40138
  13. 58733
  14. 34556
  15. 18665
  16. 1567
  17. 4521
  18. 3431
  19. 7710
  20. 3353
  21. 39086
  22. 17169
  23. 59279
  24. 31539

Zeroes in Subtracting

You will have subtraction questions with a zero in the place that you want to borrow from. You have to do a double borrowing. Look carefully at the example.

Example G: 2 405 − 368 =

Step 1: 5 ones – 8 ones (can’t be done)

Borrow one ten – whoops – no tens!

Borrow one hundred and rename it as 10 tens…

2405 is renamed as 2 thousands 3 hundreds 10 tens and 5 ones

Now, borrow a ten. 15 ones − 8 ones = 7 ones

2405 is renamed as 2 thousands 3 hundreds 9 tens and 15 onesStep 2: 9 tens − 6 tens = 3 tens

Step 3: 3 hundreds − 3 hundreds = 0 hundreds

Step 4: 2 thousands − no thousands = 2 thousands

2405 minuses 268 equals 2037

Exercise Seven

Find the differences. Check your work using the answer key at the end of the exercise.

  1. 10223
  2. 50839
  3. 80437
  4. 60748
  5. 406178
  6. 302218
  7. 203157
  8. 601296
  9. 2075436
  10. 3076594
  11. 4037289
  12. 6032764
  13. 40572049
  14. 60352634
  15. 90254603
  16. 50752364
  17. 503984247
  18. 406833162
  19. 502165183
  20. 608317081
  21. 4046521528
  22. 3042914953
  23. 7054337835
  24. 8010647297

Answers to Exercise Seven

  1. 79
  2. 469
  3. 767
  4. 559
  5. 228
  6. 84
  7. 46
  8. 305
  9. 1639
  10. 2482
  11. 3748
  12. 5268
  13. 2008
  14. 3401
  15. 4422
  16. 2711
  17. 46151
  18. 37521
  19. 45033
  20. 53750
  21. 18937
  22. 15476
  23. 32708
  24. 32809

Exercise Eight

Find the differences. Check your work using the answer key at the end of the exercise.

  1. 400197
  2. 307138
  3. 800475
  4. 608439
  5. 307168
  6. 20099
  7. 40043
  8. 208126
  9. 30002678
  10. 72052306
  11. 2048281
  12. 60052368
  13. 50003468
  14. 40062179
  15. 30071930
  16. 2007237
  17. 430042873
  18. 200389156
  19. 601258421
  20. 400632734
  21. 7005938423
  22. 8006235087
  23. 9003568746
  24. 6006355895

Answers to Exercise Eight

  1. 203
  2. 169
  3. 325
  4. 169
  5. 139
  6. 101
  7. 357
  8. 82
  9. 322
  10. 4899
  11. 1767
  12. 3637
  13. 1532
  14. 1827
  15. 1077
  16. 1770
  17. 40131
  18. 10882
  19. 51704
  20. 37329
  21. 31636
  22. 44975
  23. 21289
  24. 4168

If a subtraction question has the numbers side by side, rewrite the question in columns. Put the ones under the ones, the tens under the tens, the hundreds under the hundreds, etc.

Example H: 5 625 − 2 468

5625 renamed as 5 thousands 5 hundreds 11 tens and 15 ones, minuses 2468 equals 3157

Exercise Nine

Rewrite each question in columns and find the difference. Check your work using the answer key at the end of the exercise.

  1. 5042 − 3185
  2. 8042 − 6368
  3. 2630 − 95
  4. 1201 − 159
  5. 34582 − 6121
  6. 44610 − 4527
  7. 54507 − 13421
  8. 7050 − 2144
  9. 71629 − 12350
  10. 64182 − 28934

Answers to Exercise Nine

  1. 1857
  2. 1674
  3. 2535
  4. 1042
  5. 28461
  6. 40083
  7. 41086
  8. 4906
  9. 59279
  10. 35248

Topic D: Self-Test

Mark     /15    Aim 11/15

  1. Find the differences. Be sure to check your answers using addition. (12 marks)
    1. 7132
    2. 704325
    3. 400208
    4. 89233061
    5. 52114390
    6. 82043461
    7. 90745482
    8. 80926578
    9. 490538954
    10. 865026590
    11. 4729326349
    12. 7305027455
  2. Subtract. (3 marks)
    1. 5302 − 3981 =
    2. 7043 − 95 =
    3. 6000 − 989 =

Answers to Topic D Self-Test

    1. 39
    2. 379
    3. 192
    4. 5 862
    5. 821
    6. 4743
    7. 3592
    8. 1514
    9. 40099
    10. 79912
    11. 20944
    12. 45595
    1. 1321
    2. 6948
    3. 5011

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Adult Literacy Fundamental Mathematics: Book 2 – 2nd Edition Copyright © 2022 by Wendy Tagami and Liz Girard is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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