Adding or Subtracting 1000: Subtract 1000 from a Four-Digit Number

When we subtract 1000 from a 4-digit number, we must decrease the digit in the Thousands column by 1.

Here is the number 4705 shown on a Thousands Hundreds Tens Ones abacus.

*Notice that the abacus says units. Units are another word for ones. 

  

 

When we subtract 1000 from it, we take away one number from the Thousands column.

 

 

4705 - 1000 = 3705

 

Example 1

Subtract 1000 from:

5097

 

Answer

We decrease the 5 in the Thousands column by 1 to get 4 in that column.

5097 - 1000 = 4097

 

Example 2

Subtract 1000 from:

1060

 

Answer

We decrease the 1 in the Thousands column by 1 to get 0 in that column.

Remember to leave off any zeros on the left hand side of a number.

1060 - 1000 = 0060 = 60