Solution - Long subtraction

Step-by-step explanation

Why learn this

Terms and topics

1. Rewrite the numbers from top to bottom, aligned by their place values

2. Subtract the numbers using long subtraction method

2.9988

2.9988

See steps

Put zeros in the blank number places:

Place value	ones	.	tenths	hundredths	thousandths	ten thousandths

	3	.	0	0	0	0
-	0	.	0	0	1	2
		.

Because the upper digit (0) in the ten thousandths column is too small to get a positive difference, borrow 1 from the number to the left (3.000) which becomes (2.999) and get (10).

Place value	ones	.	tenths	hundredths	thousandths	ten thousandths
	2		9	9	9	10
	3	.	0	0	0	0
-	0	.	0	0	1	2
		.

Subtract the numbers in the ten thousandths column from the top number:
10-0-2=8

Place value	ones	.	tenths	hundredths	thousandths	ten thousandths
	2		9	9	9	10
	3	.	0	0	0	0
-	0	.	0	0	1	2
		.				8

Subtract the numbers in the thousandths column from the top number:
9-1=8

Place value	ones	.	tenths	hundredths	thousandths	ten thousandths
	2		9	9	9	10
	3	.	0	0	0	0
-	0	.	0	0	1	2
		.			8	8

Subtract the numbers in the hundredths column from the top number:
9-0=9

Place value	ones	.	tenths	hundredths	thousandths	ten thousandths
	2		9	9	9	10
	3	.	0	0	0	0
-	0	.	0	0	1	2
		.		9	8	8

Subtract the numbers in the tenths column from the top number:
9-0=9

Place value	ones	.	tenths	hundredths	thousandths	ten thousandths
	2		9	9	9	10
	3	.	0	0	0	0
-	0	.	0	0	1	2
		.	9	9	8	8

Subtract the numbers in the ones column from the top number:
2-0=2

Place value	ones	.	tenths	hundredths	thousandths	ten thousandths
	2		9	9	9	10
	3	.	0	0	0	0
-	0	.	0	0	1	2
	2	.	9	9	8	8

The solution is: 2.9988

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Place value

hundredths

thousandths

ten thousandths

Long substraction