History of Hindu Mathematics: A Source Book v1.c8.s3.12

v1.c8.s3.12

“Hence making the subtraction as directed, six cannot be subtracted from the zero standing in the tens place, so taking ten and subtracting six from it, the remainder (four) is placed above (six), and this ten is to be subtracted from the next place. For, as the places of unit, etc., are multiples of ten, so the figure of the subtrahend that cannot be subtracted from the corresponding figure of the minuend is subtracted from ten, the remainder is taken and this ten is deducted from the next place. In this way this ten is taken to the last place until it is exhausted with the last figure. In other words, numbers upto nine occupy one place, the differentiation of places begins from ten, so it is known ‘how many tens there are in a given number’ and, therefore, the number that cannot be subtracted from its own place is subtracted from the next ten, and the remainder taken.”