Year 4 Learning Column Subtraction

  This week year 4 are beginning to use column subtraction for larger numbers. 

In class, we are using counters to count out the starting number, called the minuend.

Then we subtract the subtrahend, by physically taking counters away. If there are not enough, the children go to the next column and exchange! We do not call this borrowing anymore, as we don’t give it back...we exchange it, for example a Ten is changed into 10 Ones.

Children can already explain the method, and solve multiple exchange calculations with zeros...we are very proud of their progress!