Stage 2 · The Four Operations & Estimation

2.1.2 What Subtraction Means

2.1 Addition & Subtraction: Putting Together and Taking Away

Point 2 of 6

2.1.2 What Subtraction Means

Core idea

A basket has 8 apples, you take 3 away, and you count what's left — that taking-away is written a − b.

Module goal. Move from counting to operating, building the real-world meaning of addition and subtraction, their inverse relationship, and column arithmetic for multi-digit numbers.
eastmath.com · 2.1 Addition & Subtraction: Putting Together and Taking Away · 2.1.2 What Subtraction Means