BitWithBite
Arithmetic (Beginner) · Quick Reference
Subtraction Cheat Sheet
In one line: subtraction finds the difference between two numbers — how much is left when one amount is taken away from another.
Key Ideas
1Difference. The result of subtracting one number from another.
2Minuend and Subtrahend. In a - b, a is the minuend (starting amount) and b is the subtrahend (amount removed).
3Borrowing. When a digit in the minuend is smaller than the digit below it, borrow 1 from the next column to the left.
4Subtraction is Not Commutative. a - b is generally not equal to b - a.
5Checking Your Answer. Add the difference back to the subtrahend; it should equal the minuend.
Worked Examples
Subtract 542 - 187.
355
Subtract 1,000 - 456.
544
Check that 830 - 245 = 585 is correct.
Correct
Formulas
Difference = Minuend - Subtrahend
Practice Yourself
74 - 29 = ?
45
300 - 158 = ?
142
1,205 - 486 = ?
719