Can You Pass This Basic 3 Digit Number Subtraction Test Without Using a Calculator?

By: Zoe Samuel
Estimated Completion Time
1 min
Can You Pass This Basic 3 Digit Number Subtraction Test Without Using a Calculator?
Image: Shutterstock

About This Quiz

Doing mental arithmetic may have been a bore back in school, but it was a bore that you actually should have thanked your teacher for pushing on you. The ability to flip figures around in your mind, or at least with a pencil and paper, is actually really important to a functioning brain. Arithmetic is like reading, a basic function of literacy. Subtraction is an exercise for your mind, much like doing your stretches helps your body to function at its most effective level. If you can't do it, it doesn't mean you're stupid, it just means you're less effective than you might be; and if you can do it but you choose not to, then that's like sitting on your mental butt all day when you're capable of playing all kinds of fun sports!

Taking your brain out for a quick series of calculations is like taking it to the gym. It might ache a little or get a little tiresome after a while, but once you're done, you'll feel virtuous. If you keep it up, you'll realize your mind has gotten leaner and better, and the workouts get easier. Think of this quiz as testing out your current mental fitness. Are you an arithmetic couch potato, are you ready for SEAL training, or are you somewhere in between? Let's find out!

What is 727 - 115?
601.
612.
619.
603.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Odd minus odd is always even!

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What is 227 - 122?
100.
110.
120.
105.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This one's not too hard. We're really just warming you up here. The right answer is 105!

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What is 892 - 133?
759.
758.
760.
748.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An even number minus a smaller odd number? That means the answer must be positive and odd.

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What is 477 - 392?
95.
15.
45.
85.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This one, you just have to do in your head. You know from the 7 and the 2 at the ends that it ends in a 5, so your focus is on the middle number.

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What is 401 - 399?
1.
200.
400.
2.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's just 2! Sometimes in this quiz, we'll include questions that might look hard but are actually really easy. We don't want you to overwork here!

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What is 982 - 124?
857.
855.
858.
859.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An even number minus a smaller even number? That means you are looking for an even answer that's still a positive integer.

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What is 825 - 523?
301.
302.
303.
307.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

An odd number minus a smaller odd number? That means the answer must be positive and even.

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What is 377 - 100?
200.
300.
277.
177.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's 277! It's not a hard one, but you might have worked too hard and thus landed on the wrong answer. The key is not to think too hard when you don't have to!

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What is 856 - 342?
514.
-514.
1198.
415.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Even number minus smaller even number equals positive even number. Hence, 514.

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What is 633 - 533?
1.
0.
200.
100.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's a nice easy one you really can do at a glance. It's 100!

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What is 823 - 901?
78.
979.
-78.
1724.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Big number minus bigger number? The result? Negative number!

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What is 101 - 722?
-621.
621.
162.
-162.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A smaller number minus a huge number is a big negative number. Hence, -621.

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What is 737 - 737?
0.
100.
1.
2.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Not a trick question, this one. It's just a nice clean zero!

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What is 232 - 989?
-100.
-757.
757.
-801.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

We're getting some negative answers here - and they're going to get more common as we go, so look out! It's -757.

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What is 822 - 10.4?
801.3.
803.7.
811.6.
811.2.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

If you think of this as 822.0 minus 10.4, you instantly know you're looking for a .6. So the answer is the only one with that.

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What is 27.7 - 17.7?
101.
10.0.
1.
17.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's 10! We put the .0 to mess with you. We bet you didn't fall for it, though.

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What is 103 - 27.1?
72.2.
79.2.
73.4.
75.9.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A round number minus an odd number is an odd number! So if you forget the decimal points for a moment, you can just see the answer at a glance.

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What is 82.3 - 24.6?
43.2.
57.7.
54.3.
58.6.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It has to end in .7! So it's 57.7, even if you don't do the rest of the sum. Mental arithmetic is often about leaping to the conclusion via the shortcut (but, you know, do then check that it was the right instinct).

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What is 6.26 - 5.98?
0.98.
0.28.
2.98.
3.98.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It has to end with a .28! And it has to be less than 1 total!

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What is 9.01 - 1.00?
10.01.
9.10.
11.0.
8.01.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It has to be smaller and it has to end with .01. Hence, 8.01!

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What is 102 - 0.01?
102.01.
101.99.
101.02.
101.01.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's an integer minus something with a .01, so you know it'll end in a .99. Hence, 101.99!

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What is 388 - 21.9?
366.1.
420.3.
360.2.
366.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It has to have a .1 and it has to be smaller than the original! Hence, 366.1!

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What is 11.1 - 9.92?
1.18.
2.18.
21.2.
22.1.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's a deduction. Just treat the decimals like you would any three-digit number to get 1.18.

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What is 28.8 - 27.3?
-1.5.
2.5.
1.5.
-.3.5.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

This one's simple! It's 1.5.

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What is 30.0 - 2.01?
32.01.
28.01.
29.9.
27.99.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Anything ending .0 that deducts something ending 0.01 has to end in .99. There's just one option!

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What is 327 - 90.9?
409.0.
298.
236.1.
156.2.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It has to be 0.1 someplace because of the .9. Given the multiple choice, really you don't need to do more math than that!

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What is 888 - 777?
999.
111.
666.
222.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Yep, it's just 111. Couldn't be simpler!

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What is 0.01 - 0.08?
0.07.
7.
-0.07.
-0.1.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's a tiny number minus a slightly greater number. Hence, a negative result.

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What is -100 - 99?
-1.
1.
-199.
199.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A negative number minus a positive number is an even more negative number. Hence -199.

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What is -322 - -494?
172.
-816.
-172.
816.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's a negative, then minus another negative. The latter two minus signs cancel out, so you add the 494.

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What is -983 - 467?
516.
-516.
1450.
-1450.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

-1450 is the right answer, as this is a negative number minus a positive number. So you get a negative result!

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What is -99.9 - 100?
-199.9.
200.
199.9.
-0.1.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A negative minus a positive is two negatives. So the right answer is -199.9.

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What is -22.2 - 88.8?
110.
110.
-111.
-66.6.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Two negatives here - one negative, then a positive that is deducted. So you get -111.

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What is -828 - -828?
0.
828.
1656.
-1656.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

It's zero! You have a negative, and then a double negative. So the negative and positive cancel out for a zero.

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What is -170 - 170?
170.
-340.
0.
340.
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first is negative, and the second is positive but you're deducting it. Hence, you end up with both being totally negative, for -340.

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You Got:
/35
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