Subtraction

What is Subtraction?

Subtraction in math is one of the basic operations in mathematics. Subtraction is the inverse of addition and it is the process to decrease or take away from a value.

Subtraction can also be done using column methods.

When the top value is greater than the bottom value, then we can directly subtract the numbers.

For example, 48 - 24

Step 1: 8 - 4 = 4

Step 2: 4 - 2 = 2

However, if the upper number holds a lower value than the number below it, the concept of borrowing is used.

For example, 65 - 18

Step 1: Organize the numbers based on their positional value, with the larger number placed above the smaller one. Therefore, 8 and 5 occupy the ones place, while 6 and 1 occupy the tens place.

Step 2: We start from ones place. As 5 is less than 8, we proceed to borrow 1 from the tens place, which changes the value of 6 to 5.

Step 3: The borrowed 1 changes 5 into 15. Hence, the subtraction 15 - 8 equals 7.

Step 4: After completing the subtraction in the one's place, proceed to the tens place. Deducting 1 from 5 results in 4.