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Year 5 · Maths · Adding and subtracting large numbers · Lesson 2

Column subtraction

Column subtraction of numbers with more than four digits, exchanging (including through zeros), word problems and checking with the inverse.

Whiteboard video lesson: Column subtraction

33-minute video lesson

Teaching, worked examples and 20 practice questions solved step by step.

Watch free for a month

What your child will learn

  • Subtract using the column method
  • Exchange between columns
  • Exchange through zeros
  • Check with the inverse

The method

  1. Estimate.
  2. Line up.
  3. Exchange.
  4. Inverse check.

Key words: column subtraction, exchange, difference, inverse, place value.

Worked examples

The first three practice questions from the lesson, with every step.

Question 1

Work out 4,867 − 2,345.

  1. Step 1: Line up the columns
  2. Step 2: Subtract the ones
  3. Step 3: Subtract the tens
  4. Step 4: Subtract the hundreds
  5. Step 5: Subtract the thousands

Answer: 2,522

Question 2

Work out 5,932 − 1,781.

  1. Step 1: Line up the columns
  2. Step 2: Subtract the ones
  3. Step 3: Subtract the tens
  4. Step 4: Subtract the hundreds
  5. Step 5: Subtract the thousands

Answer: 4,151

Question 3

Work out 7,354 − 2,968.

  1. Step 1: Line up the columns
  2. Step 2: Subtract the ones
  3. Step 3: Subtract the tens
  4. Step 4: Subtract the hundreds
  5. Step 5: Subtract the thousands

Answer: 4,386