Max Maths, Year 6, Learn together, Review of adding and subtracting decimals (3)

In a lesson from Max Maths for Year 6, students are guided through the process of subtracting decimal numbers using the column method. The lesson provides a clear example to help children understand the concept. They are shown how to subtract 8.4 by 3.9 step by step. The first step involves dealing with the tenths place. Since it's not possible to take 9 tenths away from 4 tenths directly, the method requires regrouping. One whole unit is regrouped into 10 tenths, which, when added to the existing 4 tenths, gives a total of 14 tenths. From this, the 9 tenths are subtracted, leaving 5 tenths.

The next step focuses on subtracting the ones. After regrouping, there are 7 ones remaining. When 3 ones are subtracted from these 7 ones, the result is 4 ones. By combining the results from both steps, the final answer is found to be 4.5. This example illustrates how to effectively subtract one decimal number from another by breaking down the process into manageable parts, starting with tenths and then moving on to the ones. This methodical approach helps students to confidently handle decimal subtraction and ensures they understand the importance of regrouping when necessary.