Basic Concepts
In a nutshell: Subtraction means taking some away to find out what is left.
## Taking Away
Subtraction means taking some away to see how many are left. We use the minus sign (−) for subtraction.
## How Subtraction Works
If you have 5 cookies and eat 2, you subtract 2 from 5 to find out how many are left.
## Ways to Subtract
- Use fingers to take some away
- Draw pictures and cross out
- Use number lines to count backward
## Subtraction Sentences
A subtraction sentence looks like this: \( 7 - 3 = 4 \). The number you start with is called the minuend, the number you take away is the subtrahend, and the answer is the difference.
### Real-World Connections
Subtraction helps you know how many pieces are left after sharing, or how much money you have after buying something.
a - b = c
Examples
- Eating 2 candies from a pile of 6: 6 - 2 = 4.
- Giving 1 sticker away from 5: 5 - 1 = 4.
Key terms
- Subtraction
- The process of taking one number away from another.
- Difference
- The answer to a subtraction problem.