Column Sub (Decimals)
About this exercise
Subtracting decimals in columns.
Example problems
A few of the problems this exercise asks. The printable worksheet holds ten fresh ones.
- 0.519 − 0.256 =
- 0.561 − 0.188 =
- 7.43 − 1.94 =
- 6.40 − 1.40 =
Try it yourself first — open a section below only if you get stuck.
How to solve it
Stack the two numbers point over point, evening out the decimal places with zeros, and work each column from the right with normal borrowing.
Worked example
8.5 - 2.36 becomes 8.50 - 2.36 = 6.14.
Common mistake
Getting every digit right and then dropping the point. In column work it falls straight down into the answer.