Place Value Subtraction: Remove 41 from 85 Using Base-10 Blocks

Subtraction with Base-Ten Block Visualization

If we have 85 blocks in total, how many blocks will remain if we remove 4 tens and 1 one?

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Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution
1

Understand the problem

If we have 85 blocks in total, how many blocks will remain if we remove 4 tens and 1 one?

2

Step-by-step solution

To solve this problem, we begin by calculating the total number of blocks to remove.

Step 1: Calculate the blocks in 4 tens.

  • A "ten" refers to 10 blocks. Thus, 4 tens equal 4×10=40 4 \times 10 = 40 blocks.

Step 2: Calculate the total blocks to remove by combining tens and ones.

  • We are also removing 1 more block, so the total becomes 40+1=41 40 + 1 = 41 blocks.

Step 3: Subtract the total removed blocks from the initial total to determine how many blocks remain.

  • 8541=44 85 - 41 = 44 .

Therefore, the number of blocks remaining is 44 44 .

3

Final Answer

44 44

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic
  • Place Value Rule: One ten equals 10 ones in base-ten blocks
  • Calculation Technique: Convert 4 tens to 40 blocks, then add 1 one
  • Verification Check: Count remaining blocks in diagram to confirm answer ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors
  • Subtracting tens and ones separately
    Don't subtract 4 from the tens place and 1 from the ones place separately = 41 blocks remaining! This ignores place value conversion. Always convert everything to the same unit first: 4 tens = 40 blocks, then add 1 to get 41 total blocks to remove.

Practice Quiz

Test your knowledge with interactive questions

If we have 85 blocks in total, how many blocks will remain if we remove 4 tens and 1 one?

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why do I need to convert tens to blocks first?

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Because the problem asks how many total blocks remain, not tens and ones separately. Converting helps you work with the same unit throughout: 4 tens=40 blocks 4 \text{ tens} = 40 \text{ blocks} .

How do I know what a 'ten' means in this problem?

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In base-ten blocks, a 'ten' is a long block representing 10 unit blocks. You can see this in the diagram where the long rectangles represent tens and small squares represent ones.

Can I just subtract 4 from 8 and 1 from 5?

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No! That would give you 41, which is wrong. You must convert everything to the same unit first. We're removing a total of 41 blocks, not working with separate place values.

How can I check my answer using the diagram?

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Count the blocks in the original diagram: 8 ten-blocks plus 5 one-blocks = 85 total. After removing 4 tens and 1 one, you should have 44 blocks remaining.

What's the difference between this and regular subtraction?

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Regular subtraction like 8541 85 - 41 gives the same answer, but this problem helps you visualize place value using concrete blocks. It's the same math, just shown differently!

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