Solve the Decimal Equation: Finding the Missing Value in 9.6 - ? = 7.4

Q: Why do I subtract 7.4 from 9.6 instead of adding them?

Because we need to find what number was subtracted from 9.6 to get 7.4. Think of it as: 9.6 minus what equals 7.4? The answer is 9.6 - 7.4 = 2.2.

Q: How can I remember which operation to use?

Use the inverse operation rule: if the problem shows subtraction (9.6 - ?), then use subtraction to solve it. The missing subtrahend equals the minuend minus the difference.

Q: What if I get confused about which number goes where?

Set it up like this: Starting amount - Missing amount = Final amount. So Missing amount = Starting amount - Final amount. Here: ? = 9.6 - 7.4.

Q: How do I check my answer is correct?

Substitute your answer back into the original equation: $ 9.6 - 2.2 = 7.4 $. If both sides are equal, you're right!

Q: What if the numbers were reversed like 7.4 - ? = 9.6?

Then you'd get a negative answer: ? = 7.4 - 9.6 = -2.2. This makes sense because you'd need to subtract a negative number (which means add) to get a larger result.

Decimal Subtraction with Missing Subtrahends

Fill in the missing value (?):

$9.6-?=7.4$

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Identify which of the following answers is correct

00:03 Insert each of the potential answers into the expression in order to verify which of them is correct

00:07 Use vertical addition to calculate the problem

00:16 Insert one of the answers into the expression and proceed to calculate

00:28 We can see that the first option doesn't fit, let's move on to the second one

00:33 Let’s apply the same method as before and proceed to check

00:42 Insert one of the answers into the expression and calculate

00:54 We can see that the second option doesn't fit, let's move on to the third one

01:02 Once again apply the same method as before and proceed to check

01:11 Insert one of the remaining answers into the expression and calculate

01:21 We can see that the third option doesn't fit, let's move on to the fourth one

01:27 Apply the same method as before and proceed to check

01:33 Insert the remaining answer into the expression and proceed to calculate

01:51 We can see that the fourth option fits

01:56 This is the solution

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

Fill in the missing value (?):

$9.6-?=7.4$

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we'll follow these steps:

Step 1: Identify the given information - the equation is $9.6 - x = 7.4$ .
Step 2: Rearrange to isolate $x$ - add $x$ to both sides giving $9.6 = 7.4 + x$ .
Step 3: Subtract 7.4 from both sides to solve for $x$ : $x = 9.6 - 7.4$ .
Step 4: Perform the subtraction: Calculate $9.6 - 7.4$ .

Now, let's perform the calculation:
Performing the subtraction: $9.6 - 7.4 = 2.2$ .

Therefore, the solution to the equation is $x = 2.2$ .

The correct answer choice is $2.2$ .

Final Answer

2.2

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Rule: In a - ? = c, the missing value equals a - c
Technique: Transform 9.6 - ? = 7.4 into ? = 9.6 - 7.4 = 2.2
Check: Substitute back: 9.6 - 2.2 = 7.4 confirms our answer ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Adding instead of subtracting to find the missing value
Don't calculate 9.6 + 7.4 = 17.0 when solving for the missing subtrahend! This gives a completely wrong answer because you're performing the opposite operation. Always remember: if a - ? = c, then ? = a - c.

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 subtract 7.4 from 9.6 instead of adding them?

Because we need to find what number was subtracted from 9.6 to get 7.4. Think of it as: 9.6 minus what equals 7.4? The answer is 9.6 - 7.4 = 2.2.

How can I remember which operation to use?

Use the inverse operation rule: if the problem shows subtraction (9.6 - ?), then use subtraction to solve it. The missing subtrahend equals the minuend minus the difference.

What if I get confused about which number goes where?

Set it up like this: Starting amount - Missing amount = Final amount. So Missing amount = Starting amount - Final amount. Here: ? = 9.6 - 7.4.

How do I check my answer is correct?

Substitute your answer back into the original equation: $9.6 - 2.2 = 7.4$ . If both sides are equal, you're right!

What if the numbers were reversed like 7.4 - ? = 9.6?

Then you'd get a negative answer: ? = 7.4 - 9.6 = -2.2. This makes sense because you'd need to subtract a negative number (which means add) to get a larger result.

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