Subtraction is the process of finding the difference between
two numbers. It is a basic math operation of taking the quantity of one number
away from another. Subtraction with two positive numbers could be represented
by
elements in two
sets
with the second set a
proper subset of the first.
For each element in the second set an element is extracted from the first
set. The difference is the amount of remaining elements. Subtraction of positive
numbers on a
number line can be shown graphically
by the detracting the length of one line from the length of another. The
minus
sign designates the subtraction operation in equations. It is the
inverse function of
addition.
The operation of subtraction works within the boundaries of the
set
of all real numbers, as well as the set of
imaginary
numbers. Subtraction of a larger number from a smaller number leads to
a
negative number. Subtraction of a negative number
is the same as adding the
positive value. The subtraction
of two
common fractions cannot occur without the
fractions having the same
denominator. Other
math
functions use subtraction in their equations. The operation of subtraction
is not
commutative, so the order of the numbers in
the subtraction process does matter.