Subtracting with Paper and Pencil

Subtracting Four Digit Numbers with Paper and Pencil

Subtracting two four digit numbers (for example 6533 - 4729) with paper and pencil involves several steps.

• Place one number above the other so that the thousands, hundreds, tens and ones places are lined up. Draw a line under the bottom number.

6583
4729

• Subtract the bottom ones place digit from the top ones place digit (3 - 9). We do not know how to do this so we need to rearrange the number to make the top number larger. Borrow one ten from the top tens place digit and make the 3 into 13. The top tens place number becomes a 7 after borrowing one ten from it. Now subtract 9 from 13 to get the answer of 4. The 4 is placed below the line in the ones place column.

  7
6583
4729
   4

• Subtract the digits in the tens place column (7 - 2 = 5) and place the answer below the line in the tens place column.

  7
6583
4729
  54

• Subtract the numbers in the hundreds place column (5 - 7 = ?). Once again, rearrange and borrow one from the thousands place to make the top number larger than the bottom number. When this is done subtract (15 - 7 = 8) and place the 8 below the line in the hundreds place column.

5 7
6583
4729
 854

• Subtract the digits in the thousands place column (5 - 4 = 1) and place the answer below the line in the thousands place column

5 7
6583
4729
1854