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Understanding Place Value Blocks

To grasp subtraction with place value blocks, let’s start with the basics. Place value blocks represent different place values: units, tens, hundreds, etc. For instance, in the number 438, you have:

• 4 hundreds blocks

• 3 tens blocks

• 8 units (ones) blocks

Step-by-Step Subtraction

Let's work through the subtraction of 438 minus 272 using place value blocks:

1. Subtracting Units (Ones):We begin with 8 ones and need to subtract 2 ones.
   Simply take away 2 ones from the 8, leaving us with 6 ones.
   

2. Subtracting Tens:Here we have 3 tens, but we need to subtract 7 tens.
   Since 3 tens are not enough to subtract 7 tens, we regroup by borrowing from the hundreds place.
   Convert one hundred block into 10 tens blocks. Adding these to the existing 3 tens, we now have 13 tens.
   Subtract 7 tens from 13 tens, which leaves us with 6 tens.
   

3. Subtracting Hundreds:Initially, we have 4 hundreds and need to subtract 2 hundreds.
   Subtracting 2 hundreds from 4 hundreds leaves us with 2 hundreds.
   

Final Result:After regrouping and subtracting, we are left with:

• 1 hundred block

• 6 tens blocks

• 6 ones blocks

So, 438 minus 272 equals 166.

Recap and Practice

Subtraction can be simple when you understand the process of regrouping with place value blocks. By breaking down the numbers and borrowing where necessary, you can easily solve subtraction problems. To practice this method and solidify your understanding, download our flashcards and watch our practice videos.