Subtraction of Whole Numbers

Subtract 2,502 from 78,514.

Solution Always write units digits below units digits, tens digits below tens digits, hundreds digits below hundreds digits, and so on.

78,514 minuend

2,502 subtrahend

76,012 difference

Find 692

-456

Solution 692 We borrow 1 ten from 9 tens,

-456 leaving 8 tens. The borrowed 1

236 ten (= 10 units) is added to the

2 units we already have,

making 12 units

Then, 12 – 6 = 6 units

And 8 – 5 = 3 tens

And 6 – 4 = 2 hundreds

Find 58,067

- 4,193

Solution 58,067 We borrow 1 thousand from 8

- 4,193 thousand, leaving 7 thousand.

53,874 The borrowed 1 thousand

(= 10 hundreds) is added to

the 0 hundreds

10 + 0 = 10

Then borrow 1 hundred from

10 hundreds, leaving 9

hundreds. The borrowed 1

hundred (= 10 tens) is added

to the 6 tens

10 + 6 = 16 tens

Now we can subtract

Taken from Developmental Mathematics 3^rd Edition by Johnston/Willis/Hughes