Solve Decimal Subtraction: 56.2 minus 22.1

Q: Why do I need to line up the decimal points?

Aligning decimal points ensures you're subtracting like place values - tenths from tenths, ones from ones, etc. Without proper alignment, you'll get the wrong answer every time!

Q: What if the decimals have different numbers of digits?

No problem! You can add zeros to make them the same length. For example, 56.2 can be written as 56.20 to match a number like 22.15.

Q: How do I check if my decimal subtraction is correct?

Use addition to check: Add your answer to the number you subtracted. If you get the original number, you're right! $ 34.1 + 22.1 = 56.2 $ ✓

Q: Do I subtract from left to right or right to left?

Always subtract from right to left, just like with whole numbers. Start with the tenths place, then ones, then tens, and so on.

Decimal Subtraction with Column Alignment

$56.2-22.1=$

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Solve

00:03 We will use long subtraction for calculation

00:09 Let's make sure to write it properly, point above point

00:12 First subtract the smallest digits

00:17 Calculate and write down

00:22 Continue to subtract, calculate and write accordingly

00:42 And this is the solution to the question

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

$56.2-22.1=$

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we will subtract $22.1$ from $56.2$ using the subtraction of decimal fractions method:

Step-by-step solution:

Step 1: Align the numbers by the decimal point: $\begin{array}{c} \quad ~~~56.2 \\ - \quad 22.1 \\ \hline \end{array}$
Step 2: Subtract the digits in each column, starting from the right (tenths place): - First, subtract the tenths: $2 - 1 = 1$ . - Then, subtract the units: $6 - 2 = 4$ . - Finally, subtract the tens: $5 - 2 = 3$ .

This gives us the result of $34.1$ after performing the subtraction.

Thus, the solution to the problem $56.2 - 22.1$ is $34.1$ .

Final Answer

34.1

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Alignment Rule: Line up decimal points vertically before subtracting
Technique: Subtract column by column: 56.2 - 22.1 = 34.1
Check: Add your answer to subtrahend: 34.1 + 22.1 = 56.2 ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Not aligning decimal points correctly
Don't line up the rightmost digits like whole numbers = wrong place values! This makes tenths subtract from ones, giving answers like 54.1 instead of 34.1. Always align the decimal points vertically first.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$\text{0.6+0}.5=$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do I need to line up the decimal points?

Aligning decimal points ensures you're subtracting like place values - tenths from tenths, ones from ones, etc. Without proper alignment, you'll get the wrong answer every time!

What if the decimals have different numbers of digits?

No problem! You can add zeros to make them the same length. For example, 56.2 can be written as 56.20 to match a number like 22.15.

How do I check if my decimal subtraction is correct?

Use addition to check: Add your answer to the number you subtracted. If you get the original number, you're right! $34.1 + 22.1 = 56.2$ ✓

Do I subtract from left to right or right to left?

Always subtract from right to left, just like with whole numbers. Start with the tenths place, then ones, then tens, and so on.

What if I need to borrow in decimal subtraction?

Borrowing works the same way! If you can't subtract in a column, borrow 1 from the next column to the left, which becomes 10 in your current column.

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