Three-digit subtraction with Regrouping-base ten blocks
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Basics on the topic Three-digit subtraction with Regrouping-base ten blocks
Subtraction with Regrouping using base Ten Blocks
Subtraction with large numbers might seem confusing. Luckily, there is help! You can visualise subtraction with 3 digit numbers using base ten blocks. This text teaches you how to use base ten blocks to conduct subtraction with regrouping.
Modelling Subtraction with Regrouping using Base Ten Blocks
Why do we use base ten blocks for subtraction 3 digit numbers with regrouping? Modelling subtraction with base ten blocks helps us to see what is happening when we subtract. Rather than just moving digits, we can build and break apart numbers to see how values change. It is particularly helpful when we are regrouping. We build the first number in blocks to make the subtraction equation easier to regroup, or borrow from.
Subtraction with Regrouping using base Ten Blocks – Example
Let’s have a look at examples of subtraction with regrouping. Here we have six hundred and seventy one minus fifty eight.
In a place value chart, represent the first number, six hundred and seventy-one, with base ten blocks. The second number, fifty-eight, tells us how many to take away from six hundred and seventy-one.
Starting in the ones column, the second number tells us to take away eight blocks.We can't do that because there is only one block here.
We need to regroup a set of ten from the tens place.There are now eleven blocks in the ones place that we can take eight away from. We are left with three blocks, so write three below.
Now move to the tens place.The second number tells us to subtract five tens.Take away five from the six tens which leaves us with one ten. Write the number one below.
Now move to the hundreds place.There are no hundreds to take away, so write the number six below. Six hundred and seventy one minus fifty eight equals six hundred and thirteen.
Subtraction with Regrouping using base Ten Blocks – Summary of Steps
These are the necessary steps you need to follow in order to conduct three digit number subtraction with regrouping using base ten blocks.
| Step # | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1 | Model the first number with base ten blocks in a place value chart. |
| 2 | Look at the second number and identify its ones place. Begin taking away from the ones place first and regrouping from the tens place, if needed. Write the answer below. |
| 3 | Move left to the next place value, repeating the process to solve the equation. |
| 4 | If you need to regroup but there is a zero, move left to the next place value until you can regroup! |
Do you want to have a go at some subtraction practice with regrouping? On this website, you can also find 3 digit subtraction with regrouping base ten blocks worksheets and exercises.
Transcript Three-digit subtraction with Regrouping-base ten blocks
"Dear Imani, I've had so much fun whilst I've been camping!" "We have camp fires every night!" "The wood pile had six hundred and seventy one logs, and we've burned fifty eight so far, so there are, erm..." "What do I do?!" Let's help Mr. Squeaks by learning "Three Digit Subtraction with Regrouping-Base Ten Blocks' We can use place value charts and base ten blocks to model subtraction with regrouping. These tools help us to see what's happening when we regroup rather than just moving numbers around. We build the first number in blocks to make the subtraction equation easier to regroup, or borrow from. Let's use the camp fire equation to practice. In a place value chart, represent the first number, six hundred and seventy-one, with base ten blocks. The second number, fifty-eight, tells us how many to take away from six hundred and seventy-one. Starting in the ones column, the second number tells us to take away eight blocks. We can't do that because there is only one block here. We need to REGROUP a set of ten from the tens place. There are now eleven blocks in the ones place that we can take eight away from. We are left with three blocks, so write three below. Now move to the tens place. The second number tells us to subtract five tens. Take away five from the six tens which leaves us with one ten. Write the number one below. Now move to the hundreds place. There are no hundreds to take away, so write the number six below. Six hundred and seventy one minus fifty eight equals six hundred and thirteen. Mr. Squeaks can write that there are six hundred and thirteen logs left for the camp fires! Next, Mr. Squeaks writes that there were two hundred and three water balloons for a water balloon fight. By the end, one hundred and eighty nine were thrown. Let's help calculate how many balloons were left. What is our first step? Use base ten blocks to represent two hundred and three. The second number, one hundred and eighty-nine, tells us how many we take away from it. In the ONES column, how many blocks will we subtract from three? According to the second number, we SHOULD subtract nine, but, we can't do that because there are only three blocks. What can we do? We can REGROUP a set of ten from the tens place. But there are ZERO tens HERE! What should we do? Instead, we should move to the hundreds to regroup. Regroup one hundreds block from the hundreds and put it in the tens place. Now take a set of ten from HERE, regrouping it to the ones place. There are now THIRTEEN blocks in the ones place that we can take nine away from. We have four blocks left, so write four below. Then, move to the tens place. The second number tells us to take eight tens away. Eight taken away from nine leaves us with one. Write one below. Now move to the hundreds place. We borrowed from here earlier, so there is only one hundred left. The second number tells us to take one hundred away which makes ZERO hundreds. Below, leave the hundreds place blank, so "two hundred and three" minus "one hundred and eighty nine" equals fourteen. Mr. Squeaks writes that there were only fourteen water balloons left in the end!
To subtract three digit numbers with regrouping, remember: Model the first number with base ten blocks in a place value chart. Next, look at the second number and identify its ones place. Begin taking away from the ones place first and regrouping from the tens place, if needed. Write the answer below. Move left to the next place value, repeating the process to solve the equation. If you need to regroup but there is a zero, move left to the next place value until you CAN regroup!
"That's weird. Who uses real wood for a camp fire?" "And throwing water!? How dangerous! Someone will definitely short circuit!"
