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Subtraction Keywords

When you see these words in a math word problem, they signal that you need to subtract. The result of a subtraction problem is called the difference. The number you start with is the minuend and the number you subtract is the subtrahend.

Answer called: difference 29 keywords

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All Subtraction Keywords

difference minus subtract less than decreased by take away fewer than reduced remain remainder left left over how many more how much less change deduct diminished by lost fell dropped withdraw spent used give away how many are left shorter than not as many subtract from balance

difference

The result of subtracting one number from another — how much larger one value is than another.

Worked Examples

Find the difference between 80 and 53.

80 − 53 = ? 27

What is the difference between 100 and 64?

100 − 64 = ? 36

High temp: 35°C, Low temp: 18°C. What is the difference?

35 − 18 = ? 17°C

There are 240 boys and 195 girls. What is the difference?

240 − 195 = ? 45

minus

Another word for the subtraction operator (−).

Worked Examples

Fifteen minus eight equals what?

15 − 8 = ? 7

50 minus 23 is what?

50 − 23 = ? 27

The bill was $85 minus a $10 discount. Final price?

85 − 10 = ? $75

360 minus 144 equals?

360 − 144 = ? 216

subtract

To take one number away from another.

Worked Examples

Subtract 19 from 45.

45 − 19 = ? 26

Subtract 7.5 from 20.

20 − 7.5 = ? 12.5

Subtract 348 from 1,000.

1000 − 348 = ? 652

less than

A quantity that is smaller than another — subtract to find the value.

Worked Examples

Eighty-nine is how much less than one hundred forty-seven?

147 − 89 = ? 58

A number that is 9 less than 25.

25 − 9 = ? 16

Maria's score is 12 less than David's score of 88. What is Maria's score?

88 − 12 = ? 76

The small pizza costs $6 less than the large pizza at $22. Small pizza price?

22 − 6 = ? $16

decreased by

A value has been made smaller by a certain amount — subtract that amount.

Worked Examples

Seventy-six decreased by sixteen is what?

76 − 16 = ? 60

Her score decreased by 8 from 94. New score?

94 − 8 = ? 86

Passengers decreased by 320 from 1,850. How many remain?

1850 − 320 = ? 1,530

A share price decreased by $4.50 from $32.00. New price?

32.00 − 4.50 = ? $27.50

take away

To remove an amount from a total.

Worked Examples

Take away 7 from 20.

20 − 7 = ? 13

She had 30 sweets and took away 12. How many left?

30 − 12 = ? 18

Take away 145 from 500.

500 − 145 = ? 355

If you take away 3.5 from 10, what do you get?

10 − 3.5 = ? 6.5

fewer than

One quantity is smaller than another by a given amount — subtract to find the smaller quantity.

Worked Examples

Tom has 6 fewer cards than Ana. Ana has 18. How many does Tom have?

18 − 6 = ? 12

The new model has 15 fewer parts than the old model's 120 parts.

120 − 15 = ? 105 parts

School B has 45 fewer students than School A's 620. How many does School B have?

620 − 45 = ? 575

There are 8 fewer red marbles than blue ones. Blue: 30. How many red?

30 − 8 = ? 22

reduced

Made smaller by subtracting an amount from the original.

Worked Examples

The price was reduced by $15 from $80.

80 − 15 = ? $65

Working hours were reduced by 4 from 44 hours per week.

44 − 4 = ? 40 hours

The speed limit was reduced by 20 mph from 70 mph.

70 − 20 = ? 50 mph

remain

What is left over after subtraction.

Worked Examples

Of 25 students, 9 left early. How many remain?

25 − 9 = ? 16

A baker made 60 muffins and sold 48. How many remain?

60 − 48 = ? 12

After using 320 ml, 1,000 ml of water remains. How much was there originally?

? − 320 = 1000 1,320 ml

remainder

The amount left over after subtracting.

Worked Examples

After spending $14 from $50, what is the remainder?

50 − 14 = ? $36

A plank is 200 cm long. After cutting 75 cm, what is the remainder?

200 − 75 = ? 125 cm

There were 500 tickets. After selling 387, what is the remainder?

500 − 387 = ? 113 tickets

left

What remains after something has been removed or used.

Worked Examples

How many are left after giving away 7 from 20?

20 − 7 = ? 13

A tank had 450 litres. After using 175, how much is left?

450 − 175 = ? 275 litres

After eating 3 slices from an 8-slice pizza, how many slices are left?

8 − 3 = ? 5 slices

1,200 seats, 845 filled. How many seats are left?

1200 − 845 = ? 355 seats

left over

What remains after everything else has been used, given away, or consumed.

Worked Examples

She baked 24 cookies and gave away 15. How many were left over?

24 − 15 = ? 9

After distributing $300 with $20 left over, how much was distributed?

300 − 20 = ? $280

A box of 100 screws — 68 used to build shelves. How many left over?

100 − 68 = ? 32 screws

how many more

Asks for the difference — how much greater one quantity is than another.

Worked Examples

Dan has 18 stickers, Sue has 11. How many more does Dan have?

18 − 11 = ? 7

Country A has 4,500 km coastline, Country B has 3,200 km. How many more km?

4500 − 3200 = ? 1,300 km

One school scored 342 in a math competition, another 289. How many more points?

342 − 289 = ? 53 points

Movie A earned $4.8 million, Movie B $3.2 million. How many more millions?

4.8 − 3.2 = ? $1.6 million

how much less

Asks by how much one amount falls short of another.

Worked Examples

A shirt costs $25, a hat $17. How much less is the hat?

25 − 17 = ? $8

Team B scored 44 points. Team A scored 67. How much less did Team B score?

67 − 44 = ? 23 points

Car A gets 38 mpg, Car B gets 31 mpg. How much less does Car B get per gallon?

38 − 31 = ? 7 mpg

change

Money returned after paying more than the cost — subtract cost from amount paid.

Worked Examples

You pay $10 for an item that costs $6.50. What is your change?

10 − 6.50 = ? $3.50

A customer pays $50 for groceries totalling $38.75. What is the change?

50 − 38.75 = ? $11.25

You pay $20 for a book costing $14.99. How much change?

20 − 14.99 = ? $5.01

deduct

To take away or subtract a specific amount from a total.

Worked Examples

Deduct 20 points for each wrong answer from a score of 100.

100 − 20 = ? 80

Tax of $45 is deducted from a paycheck of $620. Net pay?

620 − 45 = ? $575

Deduct a 15% discount ($18) from the original price of $120.

120 − 18 = ? $102

diminished by

Made smaller by a certain amount — subtract that amount.

Worked Examples

A number diminished by 7 is 13. What is the number?

x − 7 = 13 20

The lake level was diminished by 0.4 m from 5.2 m. New level?

5.2 − 0.4 = ? 4.8 m

Output was diminished by 80 units from 540. New output?

540 − 80 = ? 460 units

lost

Something is gone or removed — subtract from the original amount.

Worked Examples

He had 40 points but lost 12. How many does he have now?

40 − 12 = ? 28

A company lost 3,500 customers from a base of 21,000. How many remain?

21000 − 3500 = ? 17,500

An explorer lost 8 days of supplies. She started with 45. How many left?

45 − 8 = ? 37 days

fell

A value dropped or decreased — subtract the amount it fell.

Worked Examples

The temperature fell by 8°C from 22°C. What is it now?

22 − 8 = ? 14°C

Sales fell by 150 units from 900. New sales?

900 − 150 = ? 750 units

The stock price fell by $3.20 from $48.00. New price?

48.00 − 3.20 = ? $44.80

dropped

A value went down — subtract to find the new amount.

Worked Examples

Sales dropped by 300 units from 1,200. New total?

1200 − 300 = ? 900 units

Applicants dropped by 75 from last year's 420. How many applied this year?

420 − 75 = ? 345

Rainfall dropped by 12 mm from the average of 60 mm. This month's rainfall?

60 − 12 = ? 48 mm

withdraw

To take money out of a bank account — subtract the withdrawal from the balance.

Worked Examples

Tom withdraws $200 from his account of $850. New balance?

850 − 200 = ? $650

After a withdrawal of $450, the balance is $1,300. Balance before?

? − 450 = 1300 $1,750

A family withdraws $120 per week. After 3 weeks, how much has been withdrawn?

120 × 3 = ? $360

spent

Money used or paid out — subtract from the original amount to find what remains.

Worked Examples

Emma had $75 and spent $28 on books. How much does she have left?

75 − 28 = ? $47

A budget of $500 has $185 spent. How much remains?

500 − 185 = ? $315

He spent $12.40 at lunch and $8.60 on transport from his $40. How much left?

40 − 12.40 − 8.60 = ? $19

used

An amount that has been consumed or applied — subtract from the original.

Worked Examples

A printer used 45 sheets from a pack of 500. Sheets remaining?

500 − 45 = ? 455 sheets

A car used 12 gallons of fuel from a full 16-gallon tank. How much left?

16 − 12 = ? 4 gallons

A cyclist used 1,200 calories from their 2,000 calorie daily allowance. How many remain?

2000 − 1200 = ? 800 calories

give away

To donate or distribute so that quantity is removed — subtract.

Worked Examples

A bookstore gives away 40 free books from a stock of 280. How many remain?

280 − 40 = ? 240 books

She gave away 14 of her 36 toy cars. How many does she have left?

36 − 14 = ? 22

A bakery gave away 35 loaves from a day's bake of 120. Sold or kept?

120 − 35 = ? 85 loaves

how many are left

Asks what remains after a subtraction takes place.

Worked Examples

A box had 48 chocolates. After eating 19, how many are left?

48 − 19 = ? 29

After 350 of 800 tickets were sold, how many are left?

800 − 350 = ? 450 tickets

A library had 1,200 books. It loaned 745. How many are left?

1200 − 745 = ? 455 books

shorter than

A comparison showing a smaller length — subtract to find the difference.

Worked Examples

String B is 12 cm shorter than String A (50 cm). How long is String B?

50 − 12 = ? 38 cm

The new building is 15 floors shorter than the 48-floor tower. How many floors?

48 − 15 = ? 33 floors

not as many

Indicates one quantity is smaller than another — find the difference.

Worked Examples

Class B has not as many students as Class A. Class A: 32, Class B: 27. How many fewer?

32 − 27 = ? 5 fewer

This year's crop (1,150 tonnes) is not as many as last year's 1,400 tonnes. By how much?

1400 − 1150 = ? 250 tonnes

subtract from

Take one number away from another — the base number comes second.

Worked Examples

Subtract 18 from 72.

72 − 18 = ? 54

What is left when you subtract 250 from 1,000?

1000 − 250 = ? 750

Subtract 4.5 from 12.

12 − 4.5 = ? 7.5

balance

What remains in an account after withdrawals or payments are subtracted.

Worked Examples

An account starts with $2,000. After spending $450 and $320, what is the balance?

2000 − 450 − 320 = ? $1,230

A balance of $150 is reduced by $75. What is the new balance?

150 − 75 = ? $75

After paying $600 rent and $120 groceries from $1,500, what is the balance?

1500 − 600 − 120 = ? $780

Frequently Asked Questions about Subtraction Keywords

What are the keywords for subtraction in math?
Subtraction keywords include: difference, minus, subtract, less than, fewer than, decreased by, take away, reduced, remain, left, lost, change, deduct, diminished by, dropped, fell, withdraw, spent, used, give away, how many are left, balance, and subtract from.
What does difference mean in math?
In math, difference is the result of subtracting one number from another. For example, the difference between 10 and 6 is 4 (10 − 6 = 4).
Does more than always mean addition?
Not always. In how many more does X have than Y? you subtract to find the gap. The phrase is asking for a comparison, so you subtract the smaller from the larger.
What is the result of a subtraction problem called?
The result of subtraction is called the difference. The starting number is the minuend and the number being subtracted is the subtrahend.
What is the difference between less than and decreased by?
Less than compares two quantities — 5 less than 12 means 12 − 5. Decreased by describes a value being reduced — 12 decreased by 5 also means 12 − 5. Both signal subtraction.
Is change always a subtraction keyword in math?
In money problems, yes — change means the amount returned after paying, calculated by subtracting cost from amount given. Outside money problems, change may indicate an increase or decrease.
What does withdraw mean in a math word problem?
Withdraw appears in banking problems and means taking money out. Subtract the amount withdrawn from the account balance. A balance of $800 minus a $150 withdrawal equals $650.
What is the difference between fewer and less?
Both signal subtraction, but fewer is used for things you can count (people, items), while less is used for amounts (money, distance, time). In math problems, both work the same way: subtract the smaller from the larger.
How do I recognise a subtraction word problem?
Look for words that suggest removal, comparison, or reduction: take away, left over, remains, how many more, difference, minus, spent, lost, dropped, decreased by, or fell. Any of these signal subtraction.
What is the balance in a subtraction problem?
Balance is what remains after subtracting payments or withdrawals. It is common in money word problems. For example, if you have $500 and spend $180, the balance is 500 − 180 = $320.

Explore Other Operations

+ Addition Keywords × Multiplication Keywords ÷ Division Keywords = Equals / Equality Keywords

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difference minus subtract less than decreased by take away fewer than reduced remain remainder left left over how many more how much less change deduct diminished by lost fell dropped withdraw spent used give away how many are left shorter than not as many subtract from balance