Long Subtraction Calculator
Subtract two numbers column-by-column with borrowing steps shown.
Inputs
Difference
3,147
Step by step
Setup
5023 − 1876
Subtract digit by digit from right to left, borrowing when the top digit is smaller.
Column 1 (from right): borrow needed
3 < 6, borrow 10 → 13 − 6 = 7
= 7
Column 2 (from right): borrow needed
1 < 7, borrow 10 → 11 − 7 = 4
= 4
Column 3 (from right): no borrow
9 − 8 = 1
= 1
Column 4 (from right): no borrow
4 − 1 = 3
= 3
Total borrows
= 2
Final difference
= 3147
How it works
Long subtraction processes each column from right to left. When the top digit is smaller than the bottom digit, borrow 10 from the next column to the left (reducing that column by 1). Continue until all columns are processed.
Formula
Subtraction
Difference = Minuend − Subtrahend, column by column with borrowing
- Minuend
- The number being subtracted from (top)
- Subtrahend
- The number being subtracted (bottom)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is borrowing in subtraction?
When a column's top digit is smaller than the bottom digit, you 'borrow' 10 from the next column to the left — that column's digit decreases by 1, and the current column gets +10.
What if I need to borrow from a 0?
You cascade the borrow: move left until you find a non-zero digit, reducing it by 1 and turning all the zeros in between into 9s.