Q&A for How to Subtract Thousands

First write the numbers in expanded form. (For complete instructions, read the following article: http://www.wikihow.com/Do-Expanded-Form.) Then, subtract each place value separately. Lastly, add up the difference of each place value. For example: 9,812 = 9,000 + 800 + 10 + 2 3,467 = 3,000 + 400 +60 + 7 Start with the ones. You can't subtract 2- 7, so borrow 10 from the tens place. Now you have 12 - 7 = 5. Move on to the tens. You borrowed, so now you have 0 - 60. Borrow from the hundreds. Now you have 100 - 60 = 40. Move on to the hundreds. You borrowed, so now you have 700 - 400 = 300. Now subtract the thousands. 9,000 - 3,000 = 6,000. So, for your answer you have 6,000 + 300 + 40 + 5 - 6,345.

Break it down this way: 1,000 - 50 is 950. From that subtract 8. 950 - 8 = 942. 1,000 - 58 = 942.

Do 3400 - 800 first. 3,400 - 800 = ,2600. Then subtract 90. 2600 - 90 = 2510. Then subtract 9. 2,510 - 9 = 2,501. So 3400 - 899 = 2,501. Another way to do it is to subtract 900 from 3400 and then add 1 to your answer.

You're subtracting a larger number from a smaller number, so you'll wind up with a negative answer. The way to do it is actually to subtract the smaller number from the larger number and then put a negative sign in front. Thus, 1.3010 - 8.0414 = -6.7404.