Difference The number found when subtracting one number from another; the result of a subtraction operation; the amount by which a quantity is more or less than another number.
Negative Number A number that is less than zero. Negative numbers have the minue sign in front to show how many less than zero they are.
Number Line A line that shows numbers ordered by magnitude from left to right or bottom to top; equal intervals are marked and labelled.
Subtraction An operation that is removal of sets from an initial set, or finds the difference when comparing two quantities. When subtracting we use the minus sign '-'. Subtraction is also written as 'take away' or 'minus'.
Subtraction is the inverse of addition. In subtraction, we use the minus sign '-'. In Maths-Whizz we begin to describe subtraction as counting down, rather than counting up.
Subtraction is often described as finding the 'difference'. The result of a subtraction operation is the difference between those two numbers. For example, 9 subtract 3 is 6. The difference between 9 and 3 is 6.
Click the picture at right to try our sample subtraction games.
According to the Maths-Whizz Teachers' Resource dictionary, a number line is: "a line that shows numbers ordered by magnitude from left to right, or bottom to top." Pretty simple? Yes, and then again, no. The number line can be a powerful beast.
Humans were not born to do maths. Those, like me, who don’t dream in numbers, think this is stating the obvious, but it’s worth remembering, even so. The human brain that lets us add, subtract, read, write, walk and chew gum (sometimes at the same time!) evolved from a brain that had different demands imposed [...]
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