Subtracting Single Digits Up To 10
Contents
Subtracting
Subtracting is the opposite of adding. Whereas you are increasing numbers with adding, you decrease them with subtraction.
Subtracting 0
Anything minus 0 is the number.
Subtracting Itself
Anything minus itself is 0.
Small Minus Big
Whenever you subtract something small minus something big, you say, "Can't do that." (When we introduce negative numbers, we'll explore how you actually "can do that". I want to fit the pattern of "I can't do that" and then later finding out that indeed you can and a whole new world opens up, ie, with square root of -1 and fraction powers.)
Subtracting up to 5
To subtract up to five, show that many fingers and count down.
For instance, 6 - 3:
- Show 3 fingers.
- Say "6"
- Touch the first finger and say "5"
- Touch the second finger and say "4"
- Touch the third finger and say "3"
- The answer is 3.
Subtracting Beyond 5
There is a trick for subtracting big numbers.
13-6:
- Find the ten friend of 6: 4
- Take away 10: 13-10 = 3
- Add the ten friend: 3+4 = 7
