Subtract Decimals - Arithmetic Step by Step

Subtract 5.3 − 2.74 by lining up the decimal points, padding 5.3 to 5.30, then subtracting column by column with borrowing: hundredths 0 < 4, borrow; tenths 2 < 7, borrow; result is 2.56.

decimal-subtraction Line up the decimal points and pad with trailing zeros so both numbers have the same number of decimal places. Subtract column by column from right to left, borrowing across the decimal point exactly as you would for whole numbers.

Example

Subtract 2.74 from 5.3 by lining up decimal points. Aligning the decimal points stacks each place value correctly, tenths under tenths and hundredths under hundredths. Writing in a trailing zero where a place is missing lets every column subtract cleanly, so the decimal point in the result falls straight below the aligned points above.

highlighted = computed this step

Step 1 — Set up

Set up the decimal board.

\begin{array}{rrrrr}\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}\\\phantom{x}&5&.&3&0\\-&2&.&7&4\\\hline\\\phantom{x}&\square&.&\square&\square\end{array}

Step 2 — Subtract column

Subtract column: 10 - 4 = 6.

\begin{array}{rrrrr}\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\hl{2}&\hl{10}\\\phantom{x}&5&.&3&0\\-&2&.&7&4\\\hline\\\phantom{x}&\square&.&\square&\hl{6}\end{array}

Step 3 — Subtract column

Subtract column: 12 - 7 = 5.

\begin{array}{rrrrr}\phantom{x}&\hl{4}&\phantom{x}&\hl{12}&\phantom{x}\\\phantom{x}&5&.&3&0\\-&2&.&7&4\\\hline\\\phantom{x}&\square&.&\hl{5}&6\end{array}

Step 4 — Subtract column

Subtract column: 4 - 2 = 2.

\begin{array}{rrrrr}\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}\\\phantom{x}&5&.&3&0\\-&2&.&7&4\\\hline\\\phantom{x}&\hl{2}&.&5&6\end{array}

Step 5 — Result

Read the result: 2.56.

\begin{array}{rrrrr}\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}&\phantom{x}\\\phantom{x}&5&.&3&0\\-&2&.&7&4\\\hline\\\phantom{x}&2&.&5&6\end{array}