Subtraction
Subtraction is ...
... taking one number away from another.
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Start with 5 apples, then subtract 2, we are left with 3 apples. |
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This can be written: 5 − 2 = 3 |
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Try It Yourself
Train Yourself
You get good at subtraction with practice...
... so use Math Trainer - Subtraction to train yourself!
Subtraction Table
You can also find answers for simple subtraction using this table:
| 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||||
| 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | ||||||||
| 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |||||||
| 6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | ||||||
| 7 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |||||
| 8 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | ||||
| 9 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |||
| 10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | |
| 12 | 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
Example: Find 8 − 5
- find the row starting with "8"
- move along till you are in column "5"
- and there is the number "3", so 8 − 5 = 3
Names
Other names used in subtraction are Minus, Less, Difference, Decrease, Take Away, Deduct.
The names of the numbers in a subtraction fact are:
Minuend − Subtrahend = Difference
Minuend: The number that is to be subtracted from.
Subtrahend: The number that is to be subtracted.
Difference: The result of subtracting one number from another.
Order Matters!
In addition, we can swap the numbers and still get the same answer:
3 + 2 = 5
2 + 3 = 5
But in subtraction, order matters.
Swapping the numbers changes the result:
Subtracting Larger Numbers
To subtract numbers with more than one digit (such as "42−25") use any of these methods, choose the one you prefer:
- Subtraction with Regrouping (also called "Borrowing"), the most common method
- Quick Subtraction (more complicated, but can be faster)
- Subtraction using Addition (also called the Complements Method)
Worksheets
For practice try these Subtraction Worksheets