Solve Vertical Subtraction: 300 - 152 Step by Step

Q: Why can't I subtract 2 from 0 directly?

You cannot subtract a larger number from a smaller one in regular arithmetic. When you see $ 0 - 2 $, you must borrow from the next column to make it $ 10 - 2 = 8 $.

Q: What happens when I need to borrow from a zero?

When the tens place is also 0, you must borrow from the hundreds place first. This changes 300 into 2-10-0, then you can borrow again to make it 2-9-10.

Q: Is there an easier way to do this problem?

You could think of it as $ 300 - 150 - 2 = 150 - 2 = 148 $, but learning the borrowing method is important for harder problems where breaking it apart won't work as easily.

Q: How can I check if my answer is right?

Use addition to check subtraction! Add your answer to the number you subtracted: $ 148 + 152 $. If you get 300, your subtraction is correct!

Vertical Subtraction with Borrowing Across Zeros

$\begin{aligned} &300 \\ -& \\ &152 \\ &\underline{\phantom{776}} & \\ \end{aligned}$

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Step-by-step video solution

Watch the teacher solve the problem with clear explanations

00:00 Solve

00:03 Each time we consider borrowing 2 digits, and then we place

00:06 0 is less than 2

00:09 The tens digit is also 0 so we can't borrow from it

00:12 We'll borrow from the hundreds place for the tens

00:16 So now instead of 0, we'll have 10 in the tens place!

00:22 And now we'll borrow ten from the tens place for the ones

00:25 Which will change the tens from 10 to 9

00:29 So now instead of 0, we'll have 10 in the ones place!

00:33 Now subtract ones from ones, and place in ones

00:36 Subtract tens from tens, and place in tens

00:42 Subtract hundreds from hundreds, and place in hundreds

00:46 And that's the solution to the problem

Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

$\begin{aligned} &300 \\ -& \\ &152 \\ &\underline{\phantom{776}} & \\ \end{aligned}$

Step-by-step solution

To solve the subtraction problem $300 - 152$ , we'll follow these steps:

Step 1: Align the numbers vertically, positioning 300 over 152.
Step 2: Start from the rightmost column (units place):

The units column has $0 - 2$ , which requires borrowing since 0 is less than 2.
Go to the tens column. It contains 0, so borrow from the hundreds column.
Reduce the hundreds place from 3 to 2, changing the tens 0 into 10 (due to borrowing).

Step 3: Return to the units place:

Now, the units place consists of $10 - 2$ , which equals $8$ .

Step 4: Move to the tens column:

With the tens now holding $10$ , perform $10 - 5$ , resulting in $5$ .

Step 5: Complete the hundreds column:

Perform $2 - 1$ , resulting in $1$ .

Step 6: Combine the results from each column to get the final answer: 148.

Therefore, the solution to the problem is $148$ .

Final Answer

148

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Borrowing Rule: When subtracting from zero, borrow from the next left digit
Technique: Change 300 to 2-10-10 when borrowing for $0 - 2$
Check: Add your answer to the subtracted number: 148 + 152 = 300 ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Forgetting to borrow when subtracting from zero
Don't just write 0 - 2 = 8 without borrowing = wrong answer like 288! You cannot subtract a larger digit from a smaller one. Always borrow from the left digit first, changing 0 to 10 and reducing the borrowing digit by 1.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

$\begin{aligned} &105 \\ -& \\ &~~~~3 \\ &\underline{\phantom{776}} & \\ \end{aligned}$

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why can't I subtract 2 from 0 directly?

You cannot subtract a larger number from a smaller one in regular arithmetic. When you see $0 - 2$ , you must borrow from the next column to make it $10 - 2 = 8$ .

What happens when I need to borrow from a zero?

When the tens place is also 0, you must borrow from the hundreds place first. This changes 300 into 2-10-0, then you can borrow again to make it 2-9-10.

How do I keep track of all the borrowing?

Write small numbers above each digit as you borrow. For 300 - 152, write 2 above the 3, 9 above the first 0, and 10 above the last 0 to show your borrowing steps.

Is there an easier way to do this problem?

You could think of it as $300 - 150 - 2 = 150 - 2 = 148$ , but learning the borrowing method is important for harder problems where breaking it apart won't work as easily.

How can I check if my answer is right?

Use addition to check subtraction! Add your answer to the number you subtracted: $148 + 152$ . If you get 300, your subtraction is correct!

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