Subtracting means taking away or finding the difference. We use the minus sign, −. For 15 − 3, start at 15 and count back 3: 14, 13, 12.
When the numbers are close, count up instead. For 13 − 9, count up from 9 to 13: that is 4 steps. Adding and subtracting are opposites, so 9 + 4 = 13 checks the answer.
Taking away 0 leaves the number the same, and a number take away itself is 0, like 9 − 9 = 0.
Worked example
17 − 8 =
- Take 7 away first to reach 10.
- Take 1 more away: 10 − 1 = 9.
Answer:9
Key words
- subtract
- take away
- minus (−)
- the sign for taking away
- difference
- how many more one number is than another
Practise this
New questions every time.
Common Core-referenced: 1.OA.C.6