Subtraction as Difference Math Example 4

Follow the full solution, then compare it with the other examples linked below.

Example 4

medium
Mia collected 14 seashells and Jake collected 9 seashells. What is the difference in the number of seashells they collected?

Solution

  1. 1
    Write: \(14 - 9 = ?\)
  2. 2
    Count up from 9 to 14: 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 — that is 5 steps.
  3. 3
    The difference is 5.

Answer

5 seashells
The difference between 14 and 9 is 5, meaning Mia collected 5 more seashells than Jake.

About Subtraction as Difference

Understanding subtraction as finding the gap or difference between two quantities, rather than just 'taking away.' This comparison model asks 'how many more?' or 'how far apart?'

Learn more about Subtraction as Difference →

More Subtraction as Difference Examples

Example 1 easy

Rosa has 8 grapes. Tom has 5 grapes. How many MORE grapes does Rosa have than Tom?

Example 2 medium

A red tower has 11 blocks. A blue tower has 6 blocks. How many fewer blocks does the blue tower have

Example 3 easy

Ana has 7 stickers. Ben has 4 stickers. How many more stickers does Ana have?

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