CBSE Class 3  >  Class 3 Notes  >  Mathematics Olympiad  >  Chapter Notes: Subtraction

Chapter Notes: Subtraction

What is Subtraction?

Imagine you have a bunch of candies. Subtraction is like when you want to figure out how many candies you have left after sharing some with your friends or eating some yourself.

What is Subtraction?For example, let's say you start with 10 candies. If you give 3 candies to your friend, you can use subtraction to find out how many candies you have left. So, you take away the 3 candies you gave, and you're left with 7 candies. That's subtraction - it helps you figure out what's left when you take away or remove something from a group.

Subtraction is an arithmetic operation that represents the operation of removing objects from a collection. Subtraction is signified by the minus sign, -.

Subtraction of 3-Digit Numbers

Imagine you have 325 toys, and you want to give 128 toys to your friends. To find out how many toys you have left, you use subtraction.

Subtraction of 3-Digit Numbers

  • Start by looking at the rightmost digit (the ones place). You subtract the bottom number from the top number in that column. So, 4 minus 8 isn't possible because 4 is smaller than 8. You borrow 1 from the next column to the left, making the 5 into 4 (because 4 plus 10 is 14).

Borrowing is a trick we use in subtraction when the digit at the top is smaller than the digit at the bottom in a particular column.

  • Now, you have 14 minus 8, which is 6. Write down the 6 in the ones place.
  • Move on to the next column (the tens place). Now, you have 4 minus 2, which is 2. Write down the 2 in the tens place.
  • Finally, move to the leftmost column (the hundreds place). You have 3 minus 1, which is 2. Write down the 2 in the hundreds place.
  • So, when you started with 325 toys and shared 128, you have 197 toys left. That's how you subtract 3-digit numbers!

Example 1: Subtract 246 from 358.

Subtraction of 3-Digit NumbersThus, 358 - 246 =  112.

Example 2: Subtract 135 from 423.

Subtraction of 3-Digit NumbersThus, 423 - 135 = 288.

Properties of Subtraction

  1. When we subtract zero from a number, the difference is the number itself.
    Example: 940 - 0 = 940
  2. When we subtract a number from the number itself, the difference is zero.
    Example: 574 - 574 = 0

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

Try yourself: What is subtraction?

A

Subtraction is the process of adding objects to a collection.

B

Subtraction is the process of dividing objects into equal groups.

C

Subtraction is the process of removing objects from a collection.

D

Subtraction is the process of multiplying objects in a collection.

Subtraction of 4-Digit Numbers

1. Without Borrowing

Let us subtract 6312 from 8654 in different ways.
1. Without Borrowing1. Without Borrowing

Without borrowing, we found that 8654 minus 6312 equals 2342.

2. With Borrowing

Subtracting by borrowing is a method used in subtraction when the digit at the top (in a particular column) is smaller than the digit at the bottom. This happens when you're subtracting numbers and the digit you want to subtract from is smaller than the digit you're subtracting.

Let's try Subtracting 5875 from 8543.

Step 1: Subtract the ones. 
We cannot subtract 5 ones from 3 ones. So, borrow 1 ten = 10 ones from tens column leaving behind 3 tens.
Now, you have 13 ones.
Subtract 5 ones from 13 ones to get 8 ones.
2. With Borrowing
Step 2: Subtract the tens. 
We cannot subtract 7 tens from 3 tens.
So, borrow 1 hundred = 10 tens from hundreds column leaving behind 4 hundreds.
Now, you have 10 tens + 3 tens = 13 tens.
Subtract 7 tens from 13 tens to get 6 tens.
2. With Borrowing
Step 3: Subtract the hundreds. 
We cannot subtract 8 hundreds from 4 hundreds.
So, borrow 1 thousand = 10 hundreds from thousands column leaving behind 7 thousands.
Now, you have 10 hundreds + 4 hundreds = 14 hundreds.
Subtract 8 hundreds from 14 hundreds to get 6 hundreds.
2. With Borrowing
Step 4: Subtract the thousands. 
7 thousands are left in the thousands column.
Subtract 5 thousands from 7 thousands to get 2 thousands.
2. With Borrowing
So, 8543 minus 5875 equals 2668. That's how you subtract 4-digit numbers with borrowing!

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION
Try yourself: What is borrowing used for in subtraction?
A

To add numbers together

B

To multiply numbers

C

To subtract numbers when the digit at the top is smaller than the digit at the bottom

D

To divide numbers

Subtracting Across Zeros

Example 1: Subtract 100, 10, and 1 from 1000.

1. To subtract 100 from 1000,
Subtracting Across Zeros

2. To subtract 10 from 1000,

Subtracting Across Zeros

3. To subtract 1 from 1000,
Subtracting Across Zeros

Example 2: Subtract 276 from 500.

Subtracting Across Zeros
Thus, 500 - 276 = 224.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

Try yourself: Subtract 500 from 1000.

A

250

B

500

C

1000

D

750

Checking Subtraction

It is always considered a good practice to check your answers. We can easily check subtraction by using addition, as subtraction is inverse of addition.

Example: Subtract 2982 from 5087 and check your answer.

Checking Subtraction
Thus, 5087 - 2982 = 2105.

EduRev Tips: Subtrahend + Difference = Minuend

Problems Based on Real Life Situations

Example 1: Suraj earned ₹ 8,760 a month. He spent ₹ 5,936. How much money did he save in that month?

Amount earned by Suraj = ₹ 8,760
Amount spent = ₹ 5,936
Problems Based on Real Life SituationsThus, Suraj saved ₹ 2,824.

Example 2: 3,500 types of plants are at display in a flower show. If 2,274 plants are roses, how many other type of plants are there in the show?

Total number of plants in the show = 3,500
Number of roses in the show = 2,274
Problems Based on Real Life Situations∴ Number of other plants in the show = 3,500 - 2,274
= 1,226.

MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTION

Try yourself: Subtract 456 from 890 and check your answer.

A

434

B

439

C

488

D

445

Addition and Subtraction Together

Method: First arrange the numbers to be added and then subtract.

Example 1: Solve: 6786 - 2086 + 2597 - 3967.

Step 1: Add the numbers with '+' sign before them.
Addition and Subtraction Together
Step 2: Add the numbers with '-' sign before them.
Addition and Subtraction Together
Step 3: Subtract the second sum from the first sum.
Addition and Subtraction Together
Thus, 6786 - 2086 + 2597 - 3967 = 3330.

Estimating Sums and Differences

  • The word estimate means a rough calculation of a quantity. Estimation is an important skill to be developed as we use it in our daily life. 
  • Some examples include estimation of passengers traveling in a train, cost estimation of fare of a journey, number of persons present at a certain event, etc.
  • To estimate a sum or a difference, first-round off each number to its greatest place value. For example, if there are 58 males and 43 females in a hall then we can say that there are about 100 people in the hall.

Example 1: Sachin Tendulkar played 198 test matches and 463 one-day matches. Find the total number of matches he played.

Number of test matches = 198 → round to 200
Number of one-day matches = 463 → round to 500

Estimated Sum:

Estimating Sums and Differences

Thus, Sachin Tendulkar played about 700 matches in all.

Example 2: A shop had 2,873 bars of chocolate. 1,246 bars were sold. Estimate the number of chocolate bars that were left in shop?

Number of chocolate bars = 2,873 → round to 3,000
Number of bars sold = 1,246 → round to 1,000

Number of Chocolate bars left:

Estimating Sums and Differences

Thus, the estimated number of chocolate bars left in the shop were 2000.

The document Chapter Notes: Subtraction is a part of the Class 3 Course Mathematics Olympiad for Class 3.
All you need of Class 3 at this link: Class 3

FAQs on Chapter Notes: Subtraction

1. How do I subtract bigger numbers without making mistakes in Class 3 Maths?
Ans. Regrouping (or borrowing) is the key technique when the digit you're subtracting is larger than the digit above it. Line up numbers by place value, borrow from the next column if needed, and subtract column by column from right to left. Practise with two-digit and three-digit subtraction problems to build confidence in this fundamental skill.
2. What's the difference between subtraction and regrouping in CBSE Class 3 Maths?
Ans. Subtraction is the overall operation of taking one number away from another. Regrouping (borrowing) is a specific strategy used within subtraction when a smaller digit sits above a larger digit in any column. Understanding this distinction helps students apply the correct method-simple subtraction for straightforward problems, regrouping when borrowing becomes necessary.
3. Why do we line up numbers by place value when doing subtraction problems?
Ans. Aligning numbers by place value ensures each digit is subtracted from its matching position-ones from ones, tens from tens, hundreds from hundreds. Misalignment causes calculation errors. Proper column arrangement is the foundation of accurate subtraction, especially for multi-digit numbers in Class 3 Olympiad-level questions.
4. How can I check my subtraction answers to make sure they're correct?
Ans. Add the answer (difference) to the number you subtracted. If this sum equals the original number, your subtraction is correct. This inverse operation method is called verification and builds problem-solving confidence. Practise checking answers regularly using mind maps and flashcards available on EduRev to reinforce this checking habit.
5. What common mistakes do Class 3 students make in subtraction with regrouping?
Ans. Common errors include forgetting to reduce the borrowed column by one, regrouping incorrectly, or misaligning digits. Students also sometimes subtract the smaller number from the larger within a column instead of borrowing. Recognising these pitfalls early through visual worksheets and targeted practice prevents incorrect answers during Mathematics Olympiad assessments.
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