Parts of a Subtraction Problem

Date: 04/09/2001 at 13:51:47
From: Paula Allen
Subject: Subtraction

In subtraction:

     4 - 1 = 3

3 is called the difference. What are the 4 and the 1 called?

(In addition, addend + addend = sum.)
(In multiplication, factor x factor = product.)

Date: 04/09/2001 at 14:22:36
From: Doctor Douglas
Subject: Re: subtraction

Hi Paula, and thanks for writing to Ask Dr. Math.

These English words are rarely used, but here they are: 

     4 is called the minuend.
     1 is called the subtrahend.

There are terms for the parts of addition and multiplication problems 
as well:

Addition:

     4 + 1 = 5

     4 is called the augend.
     1 is called the addend.

Multiplication:

     4 x 2 = 8

     4 is called the multiplicand.
     2 is called the multiplier.

I hope this helps!  For more of this kind of vocabulary, see:

   Multiplier
   http://mathforum.org/dr.math/problems/corinne11.25.97.html   

- Doctors Douglas and TWE, The Math Forum
  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/