Decimal subtraction

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Another 10 multiple choice questions, this time on decimal subtraction. I have tried to anticipate some common errors that I have seen many students make over the years, and I have tried to give feedback for each wrong answer that will guide the students onto the right path – these quizzes are meant for formative use.

Common subtraction errors include

writing the numbers in the wrong columns (I tell students to ‘fill in’ with zeros until all the numbers are the same size, so 3.6 – 0.57 becomes 3.60 – 0.57)
getting mixed up between crossing out and paying back (less common now as most people that come to our classes were taught the crossing out method)
transposing digits

I have used quizzes like these on a projector in a teaching room before now as well as for individual study.

Keith Burnett 2004 - 2010