Subtraction: Taking Things Away

Subtraction means taking things away and seeing what is left. The sign is − (we say "minus" or "take away").

Cookies make it easy

There are 5 cookies. Sam eats 2 of them. How many cookies are left?

🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪 🍪

Take away 2 cookies: 🍪 🍪

Count what is left: 1, 2, 3. There are 3 cookies left.

5 − 2 = 3

The take-away steps

1. Start with the big number (5 cookies).
2. Take away the smaller number (2 cookies).
3. Count what remains (3 cookies!).

Practice corner

• 4 − 1 = ? (four balloons, one floats away)
• 6 − 3 = ? (six fish, three swim off)
• 9 − 4 = ? (nine stars, four fall down)

Addition and subtraction are friends

Check your subtraction with addition! If 5 − 2 = 3, then 3 + 2 must equal 5. Try it — maths has its own built-in spellcheck!

Practise with pictures in the visual subtraction trainer.