Math Doubts

Literals subtraction

Definition

The process of subtracting one literal from another to find their difference is called the subtraction of literals.

What is the Subtraction of Literals?

A literal number can be subtracted from another literal to find their difference, and this is one of the basic operations in algebra. The process involves subtracting one literal from another in a systematic way. This mathematical procedure is known as the subtraction of literals.

There are two distinct cases in the subtraction of literals, as explained below.

  1. Subtraction of Literals in the Same Form
  2. Subtraction of Literals in Different Forms

In elementary mathematics, quantities are expressed as numbers, but in algebra they are denoted by literals. You have already learned how to subtract one number from another in arithmetic, and now it’s time to learn how to subtract one literal from another in algebra.

As a beginner, let’s learn each method of subtracting literals with easy-to-understand examples.

Case1

How to subtract Literals in the Same Form

Let’s first know the subtraction of numbers in the same form using an arithmetic example.

Example

$2-2 \,=\, 0$

The numerical example shows that subtracting a number from itself always results in zero.

Example

$x-x \,=\, 0$

Similarly, the difference between a literal and itself is zero, according to the property shown above.

Case2

How to subtract Literals in Different Forms

Now, let’s understand how to subtract different numbers with a numerical example.

Example

$4-3 \,=\, 1$

In this example, the values of the numbers are known, so their difference can be calculated arithmetically.

Example

$x-y$

In this case, the literals represent unknown quantities, so their difference cannot be calculated. Therefore, the difference between two different literals is simply written as an expression.

The two cases above, along with their examples, clearly explain how to subtract one literal from another to find the difference between them. You can now subtract any literal from another literal and express their difference easily.