Vertically align numbers with Larger Number on top:
| 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | |
| − | 1 | 4 | 8 | 5 |
Subtract using place value:
| Thousands | Hundreds | Tens | Ones | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | 15 | |||
| 2 | 1 | 5 | 11 | |
| 3,261 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
| 1,485 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 5 |
| Difference | 1 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
Column traversal from right to left
Ones column:
Ones column:
- Since 1 is less than 5, we have to borrow 1 from the Tens column
- As a result, 1 becomes 11, and 11 − 5 = 6
- The 6 in the Tens column becomes 5
Tens column:
- Since 5 is less than 8, we have to borrow 1 from the Hundreds column
- As a result, 5 becomes 15, and 15 − 8 = 7
- The 2 in the Hundreds column becomes 1
Hundreds column:
- Since 1 is less than 4, we have to borrow 1 from the Thousands column
- As a result, 1 becomes 11, and 11 − 4 = 7
- The 3 in the Thousands column becomes 2
Thousands column:
- 2 − 1 = 1
| 11 | 15 | |||
| 2 | 1 | 5 | 11 | |
| 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | |
| − | 1 | 4 | 8 | 5 |
| 1 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
Therefore, the Difference between 3,261 and 1,485 is 1,776
Check computation by comparing Larger Number and the Sum of Difference and Smaller Number:
| 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 1 | 7 | 7 | 6 | |
| 1 | 4 | 8 | 5 | |
| 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 |
Sum of Difference and Smaller Number = 3,261
Sum of Difference and Smaller Number = Larger Number (3,261 = 3,261) ✓
