Subtraktio

Subtraktio is the mathematical operation that finds the difference between two numbers. It is the inverse operation of addition. The symbol used for subtraction is a minus sign (-). When we subtract one number from another, the first number is called the minuend, and the second number is called the subtrahend. The result of the subtraction is called the difference.

For example, in the equation 5 - 3 = 2, 5 is the minuend, 3 is the subtrahend, and 2 is the difference. Subtraction can be understood as taking away a quantity from another. If you have 5 apples and you eat 3, you are left with 2 apples, which is the result of subtracting 3 from 5.

Subtraction can also be used to compare quantities. For instance, if one group has 10 items and another has 7, subtracting 7 from 10 tells us that the first group has 3 more items than the second.

The order of subtraction matters. Unlike addition, subtraction is not commutative, meaning that a - b is generally not equal to b - a. For example, 5 - 3 = 2, but 3 - 5 = -2. Subtraction is also not associative.

In mathematics, subtraction can be performed with various types of numbers, including integers, rational numbers, and real numbers. It is a fundamental operation used in arithmetic, algebra, and many other branches of mathematics.