Math: Subtraction - Tutorial
Just for Practice
Some Helpful Tools
Subtraction is taking away a number of like things from a
larger number to find out how many things are left.
1. Always subtract like items.
2. The larger number should always be the minuend.
If the number in the subtrahend is larger than the number you are subtracting
in the minuend, you will have to borrow from the preceding number in the
minuend.
3. When subtracting numbers with two or more digits, make sure that the
numbers are aligned.
4. Subtraction problems can be checked by adding the difference to the
subtrahend. If the number you get is equal to the minuend, the answer is
correct.
A Closer Look
A subtraction sentence can be written as shown below.
(minuend)
(minuend)
(subtrahend)
(subtrahend)
(difference)
(difference)
Subtracting Tens
Example 1:
Step 1: 8 - 5 = 3
Step 2: 4 - 1 = 3
Step 3: The difference is 33.
Check:
Add the difference to the subtrahend. If you get the minuend, your answer is correct.
Example 2:
Subtracting Hundreds
Step 1: 4 is larger than 3. You'll have to borrow 1 from the
number in the tens place, which is 8. The 8 becomes
7. Step 2: The borrowed number in the tens place gives a new
value to the 3, making it 13. Step 3: 13 - 4 = 9.
Step 4: 7 - 7 = 0
Step 5: 4 - 2 = 2
Step 6: The difference is 209.
Check:
Rules for Subtracting
Subtracting Thousands
Example 3:
Check:
