>Addition and Subtraction>Subtraction with Help from the Number Line

Subtraction with Help from the Number Line

Subtraction and minus are two names for the same mathematical operation. Subtracting positive numbers from each other makes things smaller, and moves you towards the left on the number line.

Rule

Important Words and Expressions

When you are talking about subtraction, all the numbers you are subtracting from each other are called terms. When you subtract several terms from each other, the answer is called a difference.

TERM - TERM = DIFFERENCE

It’s important to remember these names for different parts of a subtraction, so you should memorize them!

Remember that you can always use the number line to help you with subtraction. The number of jumps to the left you need to get the answer is equal to the number you are subtracting.

Example 1

Find $13 - 6 = 7$

In this case, $13$ and $6$ are our terms, and $7$ is their difference.

6 jumps on the number line, starting at 13 and ending at 7

Think About This

What do you think will happen when you try to subtract 0 from another number?

Absolutely nothing!

10 - 0 = 10 100 - 0 = 100 42 - 0 = 42

This is because you are jumping $0$ steps to the left on the number line, so the number isn’t getting any smaller. Subtracting $0$ is the same as removing nothing.

Example 2

Find $48 - 25 = 23$

In this case, $48$ and $25$ are our terms, and $23$ is their difference.

25 jumps on the number line, starting at 48 and ending at 23