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Subtraction vocabulary word list

This list helps elementary students and teachers talk about subtraction using precise math vocabulary. It covers the language used in word problems, regrouping, and comparing addition and subtraction as opposite operations.

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Subtraction vocabulary word list

30 words
WordMeaningIn a sentenceSave
subtractverbTo take one number or amount away from another in order to find the difference.If you subtract fifteen from fifty, you are left with thirty-five.
subtractionnounThe mathematical operation of taking one number or amount away from another.The teacher explained subtraction using colorful blocks on the table.
differencenounThe result of subtracting one number from another.The difference in the calculation 11 - 4 is 7.
minusprepositionReduced by the subtraction of; used to indicate that one quantity is taken away from another.Ten minus three leaves seven.
minuendnounIn subtraction, the number from which another number is taken away.In the equation 9 minus 4 equals 5, the minuend is 9.
subtrahendnounIn a subtraction problem, the number that is taken away from another number.In the equation 9 minus 4, the subtrahend is 4.
remaindernounThe part of something that is left over after the rest has been used, removed, or accounted for.He spent the remainder of the afternoon cleaning out the garage.
regroupverbTo gather together again after being scattered or defeated, in order to reorganize.After losing the first set, the team regrouped and came back to win the match.
borrowverbTo take and use something that belongs to someone else, with the intention of returning it.Can I borrow your umbrella? I'll bring it back tomorrow.
decreaseverbTo become smaller in size, amount, or degree, or to make something so.Sales decreased sharply after the company raised its prices last spring.
takeawaynounA key point or piece of information that a person remembers or acts on from a discussion or event.The main takeaway from the meeting was that the launch date would be delayed.
fewerdeterminerUsed to indicate a smaller number of countable people or things, in comparison to another amount.Fewer students signed up for the trip this year than last year.
lessdeterminerA smaller amount, degree, or number than before or than something else being compared.We should spend less money on decorations and more on the actual event.
equationnounA mathematical statement asserting that two expressions are equal in value.Students learned to solve for x in a simple linear equation.
inverseadjectiveOpposite in position, direction, order, or effect to something else.There is an inverse relationship between the price of a good and how much people buy.
additionnounThe mathematical operation of combining numbers to find their sum.Use addition to find the total cost of the two tickets.
sumnounThe total amount obtained by adding two or more numbers or quantities together.The sum of six and nine is fifteen, which the students wrote in their notebooks.
compareverbTo examine things to find similarities, differences, or both.Compare the prices before choosing a ticket.
number linenounA straight line on which numbers are marked at equal intervals, used to show their order and value.The teacher used a number line to show students how to add negative numbers.
place valuenounThe value of a digit based on its position within a number, such as ones, tens, or hundreds.Understanding place value helps students see why the 3 in 35 means thirty.
digitnounAny of the numerals from 0 to 9 used alone or together to write numbers.The number 4,208 has four digits arranged in a specific order.
columnnounA tall, vertical pillar used to support or decorate a building, or a vertical section of text, numbers, or data.Marble columns lined the entrance to the old courthouse.
negativeadjectiveExpressing disapproval, harm, or the absence of something positive rather than its presence.The reviewer gave a negative opinion of the film, calling it dull and slow.
zeronumberThe number 0, representing no quantity or amount, and the point separating positive from negative numbers.The temperature dropped to zero degrees overnight, and the pond froze solid.
estimateverbTo roughly calculate or judge the value, size, amount, or cost of something.The contractor estimated that the renovation would take about six weeks to finish.
roundadjectiveShaped like a circle or sphere, with a curved outline and no sharp corners.The children rolled the round stone down the hill to watch it bounce.
operationnounAn organized activity or series of actions carried out to achieve a particular purpose.The rescue operation involved dozens of volunteers searching the flooded valley for survivors.
remainingadjectiveStill present or left after the rest of a group or amount has gone or been used.Divide the remaining cookies evenly between the two waiting children.
deductverbTo subtract an amount from a total, especially money owed or a score.The accountant deducted business expenses before calculating the final tax bill.
reduceverbTo make something smaller in size, amount, or degree.The company reduced its workforce by twenty percent to cut costs during the recession.

Words for regrouping and comparing

Subtraction vocabulary includes special terms for the parts of a problem and the strategies used to solve it. The minuend is the number you start with, the subtrahend is the number being taken away, and the difference is the answer. Regroup, sometimes called borrow, describes exchanging a ten for ten ones when a digit in the minuend is too small to subtract from directly.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a minuend and a subtrahend?

The minuend is the starting number in a subtraction problem, and the subtrahend is the number being subtracted from it.