Subtraction Within 1000 - Subtracting Across Zeros - Education to ... - Free Printable

You're working on a worksheet titled “Subtracting Across Zeros”, which means you need to subtract multi-digit numbers where you have to borrow across one or more zeros — this is a common challenge in subtraction!

Let’s solve each problem step-by-step and explain the borrowing process clearly.

---

🔢 Problem 1: 600 – 124

```
600
- 124
-----
```

Start from the right:

- Ones place: 0 – 4 → Can’t do! Borrow from tens. But tens digit is 0, so we must go to hundreds.
- Borrow 1 from 6 (hundreds), making it 5. The tens place becomes 10.
- Now borrow 1 from tens (which is now 10) → tens becomes 9, ones become 10.
- Now: 10 – 4 = 6

- Tens place: 9 – 2 = 7

- Hundreds place: 5 – 1 = 4

✔ Answer: 476

---

🔢 Problem 2: 402 – 256

```
402
- 256
-----
```

- Ones: 2 – 6 → Can’t do. Borrow from tens → but tens is 0 → go to hundreds.
- Borrow 1 from 4 → hundreds becomes 3, tens becomes 10.
- Borrow 1 from tens → tens becomes 9, ones becomes 12.
- 12 – 6 = 6

- Tens: 9 – 5 = 4

- Hundreds: 3 – 2 = 1

✔ Answer: 146

---

🔢 Problem 3: 300 – 118

```
300
- 118
-----
```

- Ones: 0 – 8 → borrow. Hundreds → 3 becomes 2, tens become 10.
- Borrow 1 from tens → tens become 9, ones become 10.
- 10 – 8 = 2

- Tens: 9 – 1 = 8

- Hundreds: 2 – 1 = 1

✔ Answer: 182

---

🔢 Problem 4: 703 – 223

```
703
- 223
-----
```

- Ones: 3 – 3 = 0

- Tens: 0 – 2 → can’t do. Borrow from hundreds.
- 7 becomes 6, tens become 10.
- 10 – 2 = 8

- Hundreds: 6 – 2 = 4

✔ Answer: 480

---

🔢 Problem 5: 806 – 408

```
806
- 408
-----
```

- Ones: 6 – 8 → borrow. Tens is 0 → borrow from hundreds.
- 8 → 7, tens → 10. Borrow 1 → tens=9, ones=16.
- 16 – 8 = 8

- Tens: 9 – 0 = 9

- Hundreds: 7 – 4 = 3

✔ Answer: 398

---

🔢 Problem 6: 500 – 360

```
500
- 360
-----
```

- Ones: 0 – 0 = 0

- Tens: 0 – 6 → borrow from hundreds.
- 5 → 4, tens → 10.
- 10 – 6 = 4

- Hundreds: 4 – 3 = 1

✔ Answer: 140

---

🔢 Problem 7: 609 – 156

```
609
- 156
-----
```

- Ones: 9 – 6 = 3

- Tens: 0 – 5 → borrow from hundreds.
- 6 → 5, tens → 10.
- 10 – 5 = 5

- Hundreds: 5 – 1 = 4

✔ Answer: 453

---

🔢 Problem 8: 400 – 350

```
400
- 350
-----
```

- Ones: 0 – 0 = 0

- Tens: 0 – 5 → borrow from hundreds.
- 4 → 3, tens → 10.
- 10 – 5 = 5

- Hundreds: 3 – 3 = 0

✔ Answer: 50

---

🔢 Problem 9: 200 – 142

```
200
- 142
-----
```

- Ones: 0 – 2 → borrow. Tens is 0 → borrow from hundreds.
- 2 → 1, tens → 10. Borrow 1 → tens=9, ones=10.
- 10 – 2 = 8

- Tens: 9 – 4 = 5

- Hundreds: 1 – 1 = 0

✔ Answer: 58

---

🔢 Problem 10: 105 – 66

```
105
- 66
-----
```

- Ones: 5 – 6 → borrow. Tens is 0 → borrow from hundreds.
- 1 → 0, tens → 10. Borrow 1 → tens=9, ones=15.
- 15 – 6 = 9

- Tens: 9 – 6 = 3

- Hundreds: 0 – 0 = 0

✔ Answer: 39

---

🔢 Problem 11: 900 – 328

```
900
- 328
-----
```

- Ones: 0 – 8 → borrow. Tens=0 → borrow from hundreds.
- 9 → 8, tens → 10. Borrow 1 → tens=9, ones=10.
- 10 – 8 = 2

- Tens: 9 – 2 = 7

- Hundreds: 8 – 3 = 5

✔ Answer: 572

---

🔢 Problem 12: 307 – 220

```
307
- 220
-----
```

- Ones: 7 – 0 = 7

- Tens: 0 – 2 → borrow from hundreds.
- 3 → 2, tens → 10.
- 10 – 2 = 8

- Hundreds: 2 – 2 = 0

✔ Answer: 87

---

## ✔ Final Answers (in order):

| Problem | Answer |
|---------|--------|
| 600 – 124 | 476 |
| 402 – 256 | 146 |
| 300 – 118 | 182 |
| 703 – 223 | 480 |
| 806 – 408 | 398 |
| 500 – 360 | 140 |
| 609 – 156 | 453 |
| 400 – 350 | 50 |
| 200 – 142 | 58 |
| 105 – 66 | 39 |
| 900 – 328 | 572 |
| 307 – 220 | 87 |

---

## 💡 Key Tip for “Subtracting Across Zeros”:
When you see a zero in the middle (like 600, 402, etc.), you may need to borrow from the next non-zero digit — often the hundreds place — and then cascade the borrow through the zeros. Always start from the rightmost digit and work left!

Let me know if you’d like a visual breakdown with diagrams for any of these! 😊