Subtraction as Taking Away

Subtraction means taking away. If you have 5 grapes and eat 2, how many are left? 5 minus 2 equals 3. The minus sign tells you to take away. The number you start with is called the minuend, the number you take away is the subtrahend, and the answer is the difference. But the most important thing is to understand the idea: you start with some, remove some, and count what remains.