Solve the Subtraction Equation: 6100 - 900

Q: Why can't I subtract 1 from 9 in the hundreds place?

You're absolutely right - you can't subtract a larger number from a smaller number in basic subtraction! That's why we need to borrow 1000 from the thousands place to make the hundreds digit become 11.

Q: When I borrow 1 from 6000, does it become 5000?

Yes! When you borrow 1000 from the thousands place, the 6 becomes 5. This borrowed 1000 gets added to the hundreds place, turning 100 into 1100 (or 11 in the hundreds column).

Q: How do I know which column to start subtracting from?

Always start from the rightmost column (ones place) and work left. This is because borrowing affects the column to the left, so you need to work systematically from right to left.

Q: Can I check my subtraction answer?

Absolutely! The best way is addition: add your answer to the number you subtracted. $ 5200 + 900 = 6100 $ ✓ This confirms your subtraction is correct!

Q: Is there an easier way to solve 6100 - 900?

Yes! You can think of it as $ 6100 - 900 = 61 \times 100 - 9 \times 100 = (61-9) \times 100 = 52 \times 100 = 5200 $. But learning the standard algorithm helps with more complex problems!

Subtraction with Borrowing from Thousands

Solve the equation:

$6100-900=$

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Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

Solve the equation:

$6100-900=$

Step-by-step solution

To solve the subtraction problem $6100 - 900$ , follow these steps:

Step 1: Align the numbers vertically by their place values:

$\begin{array}{c} 6100 \\ - \hspace{0.2em} 900 \\ \hline \end{array}$

Step 2: Subtract each corresponding digit starting from the rightmost position.

Start with the units column, note that it is $0 - 0 = 0$ .

Move to the tens column, again $0 - 0 = 0$ .

Next is the hundreds column. As you perform $1 - 9$ , notice that borrowing is needed.

Borrow 1 from the thousands column, which turns the '6' into '5', and bump the hundreds digit to '11'.

Step 3: Perform the subtraction in the hundreds column:

$11 - 9 = 2$

Step 4: Finally, perform subtraction in the thousands column:

$5 - 0 = 5$

Therefore, the result of $6100 - 900$ is $5200$ .

Final Answer

$5000$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Alignment: Stack numbers vertically by place value columns
Borrowing: When 1 - 9 is impossible, borrow from 6000 making it 11 - 9
Verification: Add result back: $5200 + 900 = 6100$ ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Forgetting to reduce the borrowed-from digit
Don't subtract 1 - 9 = 2 without borrowing = wrong answer 4900! This ignores place value rules and creates impossible subtractions. Always reduce the thousands digit from 6 to 5 when borrowing 1000 to make 100 become 1100.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

Choose the correct answer:

$693+705=\text{ ?}$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why can't I subtract 1 from 9 in the hundreds place?

You're absolutely right - you can't subtract a larger number from a smaller number in basic subtraction! That's why we need to borrow 1000 from the thousands place to make the hundreds digit become 11.

When I borrow 1 from 6000, does it become 5000?

Yes! When you borrow 1000 from the thousands place, the 6 becomes 5. This borrowed 1000 gets added to the hundreds place, turning 100 into 1100 (or 11 in the hundreds column).

How do I know which column to start subtracting from?

Always start from the rightmost column (ones place) and work left. This is because borrowing affects the column to the left, so you need to work systematically from right to left.

What if there's a 0 in the column I need to borrow from?

Great question! If you need to borrow from a column with 0, you'll need to keep borrowing left until you find a non-zero digit. Each 0 becomes 10 and borrows 1 from the next column left.

Can I check my subtraction answer?

Absolutely! The best way is addition: add your answer to the number you subtracted. $5200 + 900 = 6100$ ✓ This confirms your subtraction is correct!

Is there an easier way to solve 6100 - 900?

Yes! You can think of it as $6100 - 900 = 61 \times 100 - 9 \times 100 = (61-9) \times 100 = 52 \times 100 = 5200$ . But learning the standard algorithm helps with more complex problems!

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