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Signed Numbers

Subtraction

Subtraction of a number is equivalent to adding its negative. That is:

x - y = x + (-y) for any numbers x and y.

For example:

Subtracting a negative number is equivalent to adding is positive. That is,

and in general,

Look at the examples of subtracting negative numbers below:

Try subtracting some negative numbers yourself!

Now try some exercises involving both subtraction and addition.

For extension of subtraction of signed numbers from integers to signed decimal numbers go to Subtracting Signed Decimal Numbers.