Subtraction

Subtraction is the mathematical operation of finding the difference between two numbers. It is the opposite of addition. When you subtract one number from another, you are finding out how much is left when you take away a certain amount. The number being subtracted is called the subtrahend, and the number it is being subtracted from is called the minuend. The result of a subtraction is called the difference.

Subtraction Symbol and Notation

The subtraction operation is represented by the minus sign (-). For example, the subtraction of 5 from 8 can be written as 8 - 5.

Subtraction Methods

There are various methods for performing subtraction, including:

Column Subtraction: This is a common method where numbers are stacked vertically, and subtraction is performed digit by digit, starting from the rightmost digit.
Number Line Subtraction: This method uses a number line to visualize the subtraction process and find the difference between two numbers.
Subtraction Facts: Memorizing subtraction facts (e.g., 7 - 3 = 4) can help in quickly solving subtraction problems.

Example:

Let's consider the subtraction problem: 12 - 7. Using the column subtraction method, we would align the numbers vertically and subtract digit by digit to get the difference:

  1 2
-   7
_____
  5

So, 12 - 7 = 5.

Subtraction is an important concept in mathematics and is used in various real-life situations to find the difference or determine how much is left after taking away a certain quantity.