About John Zalewski Expertise I can help you solve problems involving fractions, decimals, ratios, and algebra. I can teach you how to do math faster, and even in your head. I can teach math definitions, and help you study, if necessary. Please do not ask any graphing, trigonometry, or calculus questions. Try to work through homework questions before asking for assistance.
Experience I routinely process numbers of all kinds in my head, without need of a calculator.
Education/Credentials I was an A math student while in high school.
Question I am trying to figure how to solve decimals with nothing to borrow from. Ex... 0.0025 - 0.075, 0.9- 76.78, 6.241 - 37.7293. I have seen the answers and used a calculator but, I don't understand how 0.0025- 0.075= 0.075. I saw one website that renamed the first zero with a 7 on several problems. Why would you do that? Please help. How do you subtract decimals with nothing to borrow from?
Answer Hello, Taina.
When subtracting decimals, you need to line up the decimal points.
However, for your questions, you are subtracting larger decimals from smaller decimals. .075 is a larger number than .0025. To answer this question, first subtract .0025 from .075. Whatever is left is your answer, but it is negative.
To subtract .0025 from .075, you need to line up the decimal points. So you would have .0750-.0025.
For the ten-thousandths column, you can't subtract 5 from 0, so you will need to borrow from the thousandths column. Cross out the 5 in the tens column, and change it to a 4. Put the 1 that you borrowed from the thousandths column in the ones column, so that instead of 0 you will have 10.
Now you can subtract: .07(4)(10)-.0025.
For the ten-thousandths column, 10-5 = 5; for the thousandths column, 4-2 = 2.
For the hundredths column, 7-0 = 7. For the tenths column, 0-0 = 0.
Answer: -.0725
Hope this helps. The other problems are done similarly. If you have additional questions, please ask.
