What is Taking?

S0-SA3-0226

Grade Level:

Pre-School – Class 2

All domains without exception

Definition

What is it?

Taking, also known as subtraction, means removing a part from a whole or finding the difference between two numbers. It helps us see how much is left after something is removed or how much larger one number is than another.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine you have 5 delicious ladoos. If your friend eats 2 of them, how many ladoos are left for you? You 'take away' 2 from 5, so you have 3 ladoos remaining.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's say a cricket team needs 150 runs to win, and they have already scored 85 runs. How many more runs do they need?
---Step 1: Identify the total needed and the runs scored. Total needed = 150 runs. Runs scored = 85 runs.
---Step 2: To find out how many more runs are needed, we 'take away' the runs scored from the total needed.
---Step 3: Set up the subtraction: 150 - 85
---Step 4: Subtract the ones place: 0 - 5. We can't do this, so we borrow from the tens place. The 5 becomes 4, and the 0 becomes 10. Now, 10 - 5 = 5.
---Step 5: Subtract the tens place: The 4 (which was 5) - 8. We can't do this, so we borrow from the hundreds place. The 1 becomes 0, and the 4 becomes 14. Now, 14 - 8 = 6.
---Step 6: Subtract the hundreds place: 0 - 0 = 0.
---Answer: The team needs 65 more runs to win.

Why It Matters

Taking is a fundamental skill in everyday life and across many subjects like Science, Social Studies, and even Art! Understanding it helps you manage your pocket money, calculate travel time, and even design things. Engineers, shopkeepers, and even doctors use subtraction constantly.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Subtracting the smaller digit from the larger digit even when borrowing is needed (e.g., in 43 - 7, doing 3-7 and getting 4). | CORRECTION: Always borrow from the next place value when the top digit is smaller than the bottom digit in a column.

MISTAKE: Forgetting to reduce the digit from which you borrowed (e.g., borrowing from 5 to make 0 into 10, but then using 5 again for the next subtraction instead of 4). | CORRECTION: After borrowing, always remember to reduce the digit in the place value you borrowed from by one.

MISTAKE: Not aligning numbers correctly by place value when subtracting larger numbers. | CORRECTION: Always line up the numbers vertically so that ones are under ones, tens under tens, hundreds under hundreds, and so on.

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: You bought a toy for Rs 75 and paid with a Rs 100 note. How much change will you get back? | ANSWER: Rs 25

QUESTION: A train journey from Delhi to Mumbai is 1400 km. If the train has already covered 875 km, how many more kilometers are left? | ANSWER: 525 km

QUESTION: Your school library has 2345 storybooks. Last month, 128 books were issued, and this month, 95 new books were added. How many storybooks are currently in the library? (Hint: First find books issued, then add new books, then subtract from total) | ANSWER: 2212 books

MCQ

Quick Quiz

What is another common word for 'taking away' in mathematics?

Adding

Multiplying

Subtracting

Dividing

The Correct Answer Is:

Subtracting means taking one number away from another to find the difference. Adding, multiplying, and dividing are different mathematical operations.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

When you check your mobile data usage, you see how much data you started with and how much you have left after using some. The phone calculates this using 'taking' or subtraction. Similarly, when a shopkeeper gives you change after you buy groceries, they are using subtraction.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

SUBTRACTION: The process of taking one number away from another | DIFFERENCE: The result of subtracting one number from another | MINUEND: The number from which another number is subtracted | SUBTRAHEND: The number that is being subtracted | BORROWING: A technique used in subtraction when a digit in the minuend is smaller than the digit in the subtrahend in the same column.

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Now that you understand taking, you're ready to explore 'Adding'! Adding is the opposite of taking, where you combine two or more numbers. Mastering both will open up a world of number problem-solving!