Subtraction

Subtraction is a mathematical operation that represents the process of taking away objects or numbers from a group. It is the opposite of addition.

Subtraction Symbol

The subtraction operation is denoted by the minus sign (-). For example, in the expression 5 - 3, 5 is the minuend, 3 is the subtrahend, and the result of the operation is 2.

Subtraction Example

For example, if you have 7 apples and you give away 3 apples, you can represent this situation using subtraction: 7 - 3 = 4. This means that you are left with 4 apples after giving away 3.

Subtraction Properties

Subtraction has several properties, including the fact that the order of the numbers does matter. For example, 5 - 3 is not the same as 3 - 5. Also, subtraction can be thought of as the inverse of addition: if you start with a number and add another number, you can use subtraction to find the original number.

Subtraction is an important concept in mathematics and is used in everyday situations, such as calculating change, measuring the difference between two values, and solving various types of problems.

With practice, students can become proficient in performing subtraction and using it to solve a wide range of mathematical problems.