Name:_________________________________________

LS3-Adding and Subtracting Decimals

PRE-TEST

A. Add and subtract the following decimal numbers. Write your answer on the blank. Show your

solution.

1. 800.54 + 90.52 = ________ 6. 343.4+5.607 =________

2. 94.9 - 41.871 =________ 7. 809.144 - 15.96 =________

3. 803.309 - 133.36=________ 8. 767.3 - 24.9 =________

4. 489.08 - 4.2 =________ 9. 921.74 + 2.7 =________

5. 384.94 + 17.348 =________ 10. 260.65 - 40.9 =________

Addition of Decimals

Adding decimals is very similar to adding whole numbers except with a few extra technical
details and bookkeeping. Recall that decimals are just fractions. We add fractions by adding the
whole number parts and the fractional parts separately, carrying the 1 from the fractional part if
necessary to the whole number part. For decimals, we line up the decimal points so that the
whole number parts line up and the decimal parts line up. Then add each.

To add decimal numbers follow the step below.

Step 1: Line up the numbers vertically so that the decimal points all lie on a vertical line.

Step 2: Add extra zeros to the right of the number so that each number has the same number of
digits to the right of the decimal place.

Step 3: Add the numbers as you would whole numbers. Place the decimal point of the result in
line with the other decimal points.

Example

Add

93.59 + 4.7

Solution

93.59 Notice the decimal points in line.

4.7

93.59 We added this 0 so both numbers have 2 digits to the right of the decimal point.

4.70

93.59

+ 4.70

98.29
Subtraction of Decimals

Subtraction of decimals is carried out in a similar way. We line up the decimals vertically, tack on
extra zeros to the right, and subtract downward. More specifically, follow the steps below

Step 1: Line up the numbers vertically so that the decimal points all lie on a vertical line.

Step 2: Add extra zeros to the right of the number so that each number has the same number of
digits to the right of the decimal place.

Step 3: Subtract the numbers as you would whole numbers. Place the decimal point of the result
in line with the other decimal points.

Example

Subtract

34.91 - 14.214

Solution

34.91 Notice the decimal points in line.

14.214

34.910 We added this 0 so both numbers have 3 digits to the right of the decimal point.

14.214

34.910

- 14.214

20. 696
Name:_________________________________________

LS3-Adding and Subtracting Decimals

POST TEST

Read each word problem carefully. Add or subtract the following decimal numbers. Write your
answer on the blank. Write your final answer on the space provided. (2 points)

_____kilometres 1. To visit his grandmother, Luis takes a train 6.37 kilometres and a car 5.45
kilometres. How many kilometres is Luis's journey in total?

_______kilograms 2. A chef bought 0.7 kilograms of almonds and 0.3 kilograms of pecans. How
many kilograms of nuts did the chef buy in all?

_______meters 3. A carpenter bought a piece of wood that was 0.86 meters long. Then he
sawed 0.42 meters off the end. How long is the piece of wood now?

_______miles 4. Isabelle got on a train and rode for 6.03 miles. Then she switched to a
different train and rode for 8.91 miles. How far did Isabelle ride in all?

_______inches 5. Whitney has a piece of blue ribbon that is 5.91 inches long and a piece of
brown ribbon that is 5.88 inches long. How much longer is the blue ribbon?

_______pounds 6. Denise bought 0.08 pounds of peanuts and 0.44 pounds of raisins. How
many pounds of snacks did she buy in all?

_______kilometres 7.Jerry runs 9.9 kilometers every morning. One day, he runs 4.8 kilometers
and then stops to take a break. How much further does Jerry have left to run?

_______pounds 8. A truck carrying 7.5 pounds of sand travels to a construction yard and loses
6.1 pounds of sand along the way. How much sand does the truck have when it arrives at the
yard?

_______kilograms 9. Kenny bought 0.7 kilograms of apples and 0.9 kilograms of oranges. How
much fruit did he buy in all?

______pounds 10. A bee colony produced 0.62 pounds of honey, but bears ate 0.53 pounds
of it. How much honey remains?
KEY TO CORRECTION (LS3-ADDING AND SUBTRACTING DECIMALS)

PRE-TEST

1. 891.06 6. 349.007

2. 53.029 7. 793.18

3. 669.949 8. 742.4

4. 484.88 9. 924.44

5. 402.288 10. 219.75

SHOW YOUR SOLUTION