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Subtractive for Dummies

adjective

pronunciation: səb'træktɪv

What does Subtractive really mean?

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Well hey there, my eager learner! I'm here to help you understand the word "subtractive." So let's dive right in and break it down into our own understanding, shall we?

Subtractive is a fancy word that we use when we want to talk about taking something away from something else. It's kind of like when you have a bunch of cookies and you decide to eat two of them. What happens? You subtract those two cookies from the total number of cookies you had at first. So subtractive is just a way of saying that we're "taking away" or "removing" something from a group or a whole.

Now, let's explore a bit deeper and look at how "subtractive" can be used in different situations. One meaning of subtractive has to do with colors. Have you ever mixed paint colors before? When you mix different colored paints together, sometimes you end up with a new color. But there's another way to make colors too, and that's where subtractive comes in. In the world of colors, subtractive means that you can create new colors by taking away or subtracting certain colors. Let's say you have a sheet of paper that's coated with some yellow ink and then you put a transparent sheet of blue ink on top. When you look at it, what color do you see? You see green because the blue ink is subtracting (or taking away) the yellow, and what's left is green!

Another meaning of subtractive has to do with math, which you might be more familiar with. You know how we use addition to put numbers together? Well, subtractive is like the opposite of that. It's when we take numbers away from each other. For example, if you have 10 marbles and you give away 3 marbles, what is the result? You got it! You'll have 7 marbles left because you subtracted 3 from 10.

So there you have it, my friend! "Subtractive" is all about taking something away or removing it from a group or a whole. It can mean removing certain colors to create new ones or subtracting numbers in math. Just remember, subtractive is like being a master of "taking away" or "removing" things, whether it's cookies, colors, or marbles!


Revised and Fact checked by Michael Rodriguez on 2023-10-28 22:06:52

Subtractive In a sentece

Learn how to use Subtractive inside a sentece

  • When you have 10 candies and you give 3 candies to your friend, you are performing a subtractive operation by taking away 3 candies.
  • If you have 5 blue marbles and you lose 2 marbles, it means you have done a subtractive action by removing 2 marbles from your collection.
  • Imagine you have a plate with 8 cookies on it, and you eat 4 cookies. Eating those 4 cookies is a subtractive action as you are taking away some from the total.
  • If you have $20 and you spend $7, you have used the subtractive process by reducing or subtracting $7 from your original amount.
  • Suppose you have a stack of 15 books, and you put away 6 books in a cupboard. Putting those 6 books away is a subtractive action because you are decreasing the number of books in the stack.

Subtractive Antonyms

Words that have the opposite context of the original word.

Subtractive Similar Words

Words that similar to the original word, but are not synonyms.