Subtracting Decimals

Ages 9–11 · 5 minutes · Math

Subtract decimals with borrowing

Students will subtract decimal numbers by aligning the decimal point and subtracting column by column from right to left. When a column's top digit is smaller than the digit below it, the student will practice regrouping (borrowing) from the column to the left, the same way whole-number subtraction works. Students will also practice treating a missing decimal place as a zero so they can still borrow from it correctly. Students work up to chained borrows across several columns, finishing with a three-digit challenge problem.

Prior knowledge of subtraction with regrouping is helpful.