What is Minuend in Subtraction?

The minuend is the first number in a subtraction sentence. It is the number from which another number is subtracted.

In subtraction, the calculation is structured as follows:

Minuend - Subtrahend = Difference

We subtract the subtrahend from the minuend to get the result, which is called the difference.

Understanding the Minuend

The role of the minuend is fundamental in subtraction. It represents the initial quantity or value you start with before taking something away.

Let's look at an example:

Consider the subtraction equation 9 – 4 = 5.

In this equation:

• The minuend is 9.
• The subtrahend is 4.
• The difference is 5.

Here, 9 is the starting number from which 4 is subtracted.

Minuend in Vertical Subtraction

When performing subtraction using the vertical method or column method, the numbers are stacked one above the other. In this layout, the minuend is always the number positioned at the top.

  Minuend
- Subtrahend
-----------
  Difference

For the example 9 - 4 = 5:

  9  <-- Minuend
- 4  <-- Subtrahend
-----
  5  <-- Difference

Understanding the minuend is key to correctly setting up and performing subtraction calculations, whether in a horizontal sentence or a vertical column format.