Subtracting decimals

Subtracting decimals is similar to subtracting whole numbers I strongly encourage you to review subtraction of whole numbers before learning this lesson.

Before subtracting, line up the decimal points. It is also important to use 0 as a placeholder when a place value is blank

Look at the following subtractions problems. they are fairly easy to subtract.

Look at the following subtractions problems. they are fairly easy to subtract.



in the first problem on the left (0.5 - 0.2), just remove 2 tenths from 5 tenths to get 3 tenths. Then 0 take away 0 is 0. Finally write down your decimal point.

Now look at the following problem:



Since you cannot remove 8 hundredths from 5 hundredths, you need to take 1 tenth from 4 tenths and add that to 5 hundredths to get 15 hundredths.



Then, 15 hundredths - 8 hundredths = 7 hundredths

3 tenths - 2 tenths = 1 tenth

Finally, 0 - 0 = 0 and put your decimal point.

The following problem shows the importance of using 0 as a placeholder before subtracting:



Using 0 as a placeholder, we get:



Again, we cannot remove 5 hundredths from 0 hundredth, so we will borrow 1 tenth( 1 tenth = 10 hundredths) from 5 tenths and add that to 0 hundredth.

We get:



Study too the following example carefully:



Use 0 as placeholders



Then, do the following:



Study this last example too carefully:



Step 1:



Step 2:



Step 3: