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Subtracting decimals, step by step

Subtracting decimals is column subtraction with the points lined up and the gaps filled in.

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The question

8.66 − 4.65

8.66 4.65 4.01
  1. 8.66 − 4.65. Line the POINTS up under each other — not the right-hand ends. Right-aligning is what turns 12.5 + 3.75 into a tidy-looking wrong answer.
  2. 6 take away 5 leaves 1.
  3. 6 take away 6 leaves 0.
  4. 8 take away 4 leaves 4.
  5. The point in the answer comes straight down from the ones above it — it was never moved, only lined up. 8.66 − 4.65 = 4.01.

How it works.

  1. 01

    8.66 − 4.65. Line the POINTS up under each other — not the right-hand ends. Right-aligning is what turns 12.5 + 3.75 into a tidy-looking wrong answer.

  2. 02

    6 take away 5 leaves 1.

  3. 03

    6 take away 6 leaves 0.

  4. 04

    8 take away 4 leaves 4.

  5. 05

    The point in the answer comes straight down from the ones above it — it was never moved, only lined up. 8.66 − 4.65 = 4.01.

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