Subtract

To subtract means to take away or deduct a quantity or number from another. It's a fundamental arithmetic operation, the inverse of addition. When you subtract, you are finding the difference between two values. The result of subtracting is called the difference. This operation is used in various contexts, from calculating financial transactions to understanding changes in quantities and measurements, and simplifying mathematical expressions. It requires a clear understanding of the relative values being considered. Furthermore, it plays a key role in various other complex mathematical processes.

Subtract meaning with examples

• If Sarah has 10 apples and gives 3 to her friend, we subtract 3 from 10 to find out how many she has left. This simple subtraction demonstrates a direct removal of items, resulting in 7 apples. The ability to visualize this process is fundamental to comprehending subtraction in practical scenarios.
• When calculating your expenses, you might subtract the cost of your groceries from your weekly budget to see how much money remains available. In budgeting, subtraction helps in the effective management of money and enables better future financial decisions by tracking what expenses were made.
• In a scientific experiment, after measuring the initial temperature of a liquid, scientists might subtract the temperature drop observed to determine the net change. This helps them understand the impact of an action, the difference after an event and gives insight into the processes involved.
• To simplify an algebraic expression, you may subtract like terms; for example, if you have 5x - 2x, you subtract 2x from 5x to get 3x. Algebraic subtraction is crucial in equation solving and expression simplification to reach final solutions.