Originally Posted by 22B
I know that the method for subtraction taught in the USA is ridiculous.
Originally Posted by Val
I'd be interested in learning about how subtraction is taught outside the US.
Originally Posted by Nautigal
What is the ridiculous method of subtraction referred to above? I can't recall seeing anything that seemed out of the ordinary, but then again I do tend to ignore my kids' math worksheets a lot.

There's an explanation here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subtraction#The_teaching_of_subtraction_in_schools
which contrasts the "American method" and the "Austrian (or European) method", the latter being the one which is taught in most countries around the world. The "American method" is unnecessarily more complicated, especially when there is a string of zeroes in the minuend.

Here are some YouTube videos of (various slight variations of) the "Austrian method"