Mathematics Notes for Class 1 Subtraction

Subtraction

Welcome to the chapter on Subtraction for Class 1. In this chapter, you will learn what subtraction means, how to subtract numbers, and how subtraction is used in your daily life. By the end of this chapter, you will be able to subtract numbers easily and solve simple subtraction problems!

Introduction

Subtraction means taking away. When you subtract, you find out how many are left after taking some away from a group.

Key Concepts

Subtraction: Taking away from a group.
Minus Sign (-): The symbol we use for subtraction.
Difference: The answer we get after subtracting.
Zero: When nothing is left.

1. What is Subtraction?

Subtraction is taking away some objects from a group and finding out how many are left.

Example: If you have 5 apples and eat 2 apples, how many apples are left?
5 - 2 = 3
You have 3 apples left.

2. The Minus Sign (-)

The sign for subtraction is - (minus). We use the minus sign to show that we are taking away.

Example: 4 - 1 = 3

3. Subtracting Small Numbers

3 - 1 = 2
5 - 2 = 3
4 - 3 = 1

You can use your fingers, objects, or pictures to help you subtract.

4. Subtraction with Objects

You can subtract by taking away objects and counting what is left.

Example: You have 4 pencils. You give 2 pencils to your friend. How many pencils do you have now?
Count what is left: 1, 2
So, 4 - 2 = 2

5. Subtracting Zero

When you subtract zero from a number, the number stays the same.

5 - 0 = 5
3 - 0 = 3

6. Subtracting All

When you subtract all, nothing is left. The answer is zero.

4 - 4 = 0
2 - 2 = 0

Subtraction in Daily Life

Eating some candies from a box
Giving away some toys to a friend
Spending money from your piggy bank

Fun Activity: Take Away Game!

Take 5 blocks. Give 2 blocks to your friend. How many blocks do you have now? Try with different numbers!

Summary

Subtraction means taking away.
The minus sign (-) is used for subtraction.
Subtracting zero does not change the number.
When you subtract all, nothing is left (zero).

Practice Questions

What is 5 - 2?
If you have 6 candies and eat 3, how many are left?
What is 4 - 0?
If you have 3 pencils and give away 3, how many are left?
What is 2 - 1?

Challenge Yourself

Start with 10 objects. Take away 4. How many are left?
Write all the ways to get zero by subtracting two same numbers (for example, 3 - 3, 5 - 5, etc.).

Did You Know?

Subtraction is the opposite of addition!
You can check your subtraction by adding the answer to the number you took away.

Glossary

Subtraction: Taking away from a group.
Minus Sign (-): The symbol used for subtraction.
Difference: The answer you get after subtracting.
Zero: Means nothing is left.

Answers to Practice Questions

Keep practicing subtraction to become a math star!

Mathematics Class 1 - Subtraction Notes