Subtraction is a mathematical operation that represents the operation of removing objects from a collection. It is signified by the minus symbol (-). Subtraction is one of the four basic operations in arithmetic, along with addition, multiplication, and division.

The history of subtraction dates back to ancient times. The earliest known use of subtraction was in the Rhind Papyrus, an ancient Egyptian mathematical text dating back to 1650 BC. In the papyrus, subtraction is used to solve problems involving geometric shapes.

Subtraction continued to be used in ancient Greece and Rome. The Greeks used subtractive notation, which is a form of notation that uses symbols to represent numbers. The Romans used a similar form of notation, called subtractio.

Subtractio, was also used in ancient China

Subtractio, was also used in ancient China. The first known use of subtraction in China dates back to the 3rd century BC. Chinese mathematicians used a place value system, which is a system that uses positional notation to represent numbers.

The history of subtraction in Europe is closely linked to the history of mathematics in general. The first known use of subtraction in Europe dates back to the 9th century AD. Subtraction was used by Arabic mathematicians during the Golden Age of Islam.

During the European Renaissance, subtraction became more widely used in Europe. Mathematicians such as Leonardo Fibonacci and Johannes Kepler used subtraction to solve mathematical problems.

Today, subtraction is used in a variety of fields, including mathematics, science, and engineering. It is an important part of everyday life. Subtraction can be used to solve problems involving money, time, and measurements. It is also used in computer programming and coding.