What is 0.75 minus 0.25?

What is 0.75 minus 0.25?

• A. 0.25
• B. 0.75
• C. 0.60
• D. 0.50

Answer: (D)

When subtracting decimals, line up the digits after the decimal point and subtract each place value. Here both numbers have two digits after the decimal, so it’s straightforward: 0.75 minus 0.25 equals 75 minus 25 in hundredths, which is 50 hundredths, i.e., 0.50. A quick way to see it is to think in dollars and cents: 75 cents minus 25 cents leaves 50 cents, which is 0.50 dollars. Since you’re removing a quarter from three quarters, you’re left with one half, which is 0.50. The other numbers would reflect subtracting different amounts (for example, 0.50 would come from removing 0.25? or 0.25 would come from removing 0.50), but the operation here specifically yields 0.50.

When subtracting decimals, line up the digits after the decimal point and subtract each place value. Here both numbers have two digits after the decimal, so it’s straightforward: 0.75 minus 0.25 equals 75 minus 25 in hundredths, which is 50 hundredths, i.e., 0.50. A quick way to see it is to think in dollars and cents: 75 cents minus 25 cents leaves 50 cents, which is 0.50 dollars. Since you’re removing a quarter from three quarters, you’re left with one half, which is 0.50. The other numbers would reflect subtracting different amounts (for example, 0.50 would come from removing 0.25? or 0.25 would come from removing 0.50), but the operation here specifically yields 0.50.