Subtraction is a mathematical operation where one quantity is taken away from another. In the context of distance, subtraction helps us find how far someone still has to travel when part of a journey has already been completed.
In the initial exercise, subtraction is used to determine the remaining distance Emilio must travel after stopping in Memphis. By subtracting the distance already traveled (from Little Rock to Memphis) from the total distance to his destination (Little Rock to Nashville), Emilio can easily know the miles left to cover. This is a practical demonstration of subtraction!
Understanding how to use subtraction in real-world problems can help solve everyday challenges like tracking travel distance, remaining time, or even budgeting. For our travel exercise, the subtraction was expressed as:
- Total travel distance = 359 miles
- Distance already traveled = 139 miles
- Remaining distance = 359 - 139 = 220 miles
This operation gave us the result of 220 miles, indicating how much further Emilio needed to travel.