minuend

Minuend is a term used in subtraction to denote the quantity from which another quantity is subtracted. In the subtraction expression a − b, the number a is the minuend, and the number b is the subtrahend; the result a − b is called the difference. The term comes from Latin minuere, meaning to lessen or reduce, reflecting its role as the starting amount that is decreased by the subtrahend.

In practice, the minuend is the first number in a subtraction operation. In vertical subtraction, it is written above the subtrahend; in horizontal form, it appears as the first operand. The concept applies to integers, fractions, and decimals, provided the operation is subtraction. The sign and magnitude of the difference depend on the relative sizes of the minuend and the subtrahend. For example, 23 − 7 = 16, where 23 is the minuend, 7 is the subtrahend, and 16 is the difference. If the subtrahend is larger, as in 7 − 23 = −16, the minuend remains the starting amount, and the difference is negative.

Minuend is a standard term in education and mathematics to specify the order of subtraction. Some texts describe it as "the number from which another is subtracted." Related terms are subtrahend (the quantity being subtracted) and difference (the result).