Solve Vertical Subtraction: 73 minus 3 Step-by-Step

Q: Why do I put the 3 under the 3 and not under the 7?

You must align digits by place value, not by position! The 3 in the subtrahend represents 3 units, so it goes under the units column. This ensures you subtract the right amounts from each place value.

Q: What happens to the tens place when there's no tens digit in the subtrahend?

When there's no digit in a place value, treat it as zero. So $ 7 - 0 = 7 $. The tens digit stays the same because you're subtracting nothing from it!

Q: How can I check if my subtraction is correct?

Use addition to check! Add your answer to the number you subtracted: $ 70 + 3 = 73 $. If you get the original number, your subtraction is correct!

Q: Why is the answer 70 and not just 7?

The 7 is in the tens place, which means it represents 70, not 7. Combined with 0 in the units place, the complete answer is 70. Place value matters!

Vertical Subtraction with Place Value Alignment

$\begin{aligned} &73 \\ -& \\ &~~3 \\ &\underline{\phantom{776}} & \\ \end{aligned}$

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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 calculate subtraction of 2 digits, and then we substitute

00:06 Let's start by subtracting ones from ones, and substitute in ones

00:09 We'll put 0 in the missing digits

00:13 Subtract tens from tens, and substitute in tens

00:16 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

$\begin{aligned} &73 \\ -& \\ &~~3 \\ &\underline{\phantom{776}} & \\ \end{aligned}$

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we will perform the subtraction $73 - 3$ step by step:

Step 1: Align the numbers vertically with the minuend (73) on top and the subtrahend (3) directly below it, ensuring proper placement by place value, especially since the subtrahend has fewer digits than the minuend.
Step 2: Start from the rightmost digit. We have the units place:

The digit in the units place of the minuend is 3.
The digit in the units place of the subtrahend is 3.
Subtract these units digits: $3 - 3 = 0$ .

Step 3: Move to the tens place.

The digit in the tens place of the minuend is 7.
There is no corresponding tens digit in the subtrahend, so it can be considered as $0$ .
Subtract these tens: $7 - 0 = 7$ .

Step 4: Combine the results. The digits in the tens and units places are 7 and 0, respectively, forming the number 70.

Therefore, the result of the subtraction $73 - 3$ is $70$ .

Final Answer

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Alignment: Place subtrahend digits under matching place values correctly
Technique: Start rightmost: $3 - 3 = 0$ , then $7 - 0 = 7$
Check: Add result to subtrahend: $70 + 3 = 73$ ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Misaligning digits by place value
Don't place the 3 under the tens column instead of units = wrong subtraction like 73 - 30 = 43! This happens when you don't match digits by their place values. Always align the rightmost digit of the subtrahend under the units place of the minuend.

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 do I put the 3 under the 3 and not under the 7?

You must align digits by place value, not by position! The 3 in the subtrahend represents 3 units, so it goes under the units column. This ensures you subtract the right amounts from each place value.

What happens to the tens place when there's no tens digit in the subtrahend?

When there's no digit in a place value, treat it as zero. So $7 - 0 = 7$ . The tens digit stays the same because you're subtracting nothing from it!

How can I check if my subtraction is correct?

Use addition to check! Add your answer to the number you subtracted: $70 + 3 = 73$ . If you get the original number, your subtraction is correct!

Why is the answer 70 and not just 7?

The 7 is in the tens place, which means it represents 70, not 7. Combined with 0 in the units place, the complete answer is 70. Place value matters!

What if I accidentally subtract 73 - 30 instead?

You'd get 43, which is wrong! This happens when you misalign the digits. Always check that single-digit numbers go in the units column, not the tens column.

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