1. **State the problem:** A cheese maker starts with 644.7 ounces of cheddar cheese and sells 471.961 ounces. We need to find out how much cheese is left. 2. **Formula used:** To find the remaining amount, subtract the amount sold from the initial amount: $$\text{Remaining cheese} = \text{Initial cheese} - \text{Cheese sold}$$ 3. **Apply the values:** $$\text{Remaining cheese} = 644.7 - 471.961$$ 4. **Perform the subtraction:** $$644.7 - 471.961 = 172.739$$ 5. **Conclusion:** The cheese maker has **172.739 ounces** of cheddar cheese left after the sale. This subtraction problem is straightforward: subtract the quantity sold from the initial quantity to find the remainder.