Verified Answer :

  • Identify that \(39.3 - 43.1\) will result in a negative number because \(43.1 > 39.3\).
  • Calculate the absolute difference \(43.1 - 39.3 = 3.8\).
  • Apply the negative sign to the result to get \(-3.8\).
  • Final answer: \(\boxed{-3.8}\).

Explanation

  1. Analysis of the Expression

We need to evaluate the expression \(39.3 - 43.1\). The expression involves the subtraction of a larger number, \(43.1\), from a smaller number, \(39.3\). This indicates that the resulting value will be negative. We can compute this by taking the negative of the difference of their absolute values: \(39.3 - 43.1 = -(43.1 - 39.3)\).

  1. Performing the Subtraction

To calculate the difference between \(43.1\) and \(39.3\), we align the decimal points:
\[ 43.1 - 39.3 \]
Subtracting the tenths place first: \(1 - 3\) requires borrowing from the ones place. Taking 1 from 3 in the ones place leaves 2, and the tenths place becomes \(11 - 3 = 8\).
Next, subtracting the ones place: since we borrowed 1, we have \(2 - 9\), which requires borrowing from the tens place. Taking 1 from 4 in the tens place leaves 3, and the ones place becomes \(12 - 9 = 3\).
Finally, subtracting the tens place: \(3 - 3 = 0\).
Combining these, we get \(3.8\). Applying the negative sign, the result is \(-3.8\).

Examples

Calculating the difference between two numbers is a fundamental skill in everyday life, such as when you are checking your bank balance. For instance, if you have \$39.30 in your account and you make a purchase for \$43.10, your account balance will reflect the difference as a negative value, meaning you have overdrawn by \$3.80. This highlights how subtraction with negative outcomes is essential for managing personal finances and understanding debt or deficit situations.

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