Question

Subtract the second term form the first term: 8x, 5x

Answer 1

Hint: We use simple arithmetic operation subtraction to calculate the difference between the two terms. Check if both the terms given are of the same type that is in this case having the same variable associated with them or not. Remove or subtract that second term (that is written in second place) from first term (that is written in first place).
* Subtraction is a process of deducting the values, if we have to subtract ‘b’ from ‘a’, we write \[a - b\] which means we are deducting ‘b’ values from ‘a’.

Complete step-by-step answer:
Here we are given two terms 8x and 5x.
Since both the terms have the same variable associated with them i.e. ‘x’, then the subtraction is possible.
The first term here is 8x and second term here is 5x.
We have to subtract the second term from first term.
Since we know that when we have to subtract ‘b’ from ‘a’, we write \[a - b\].
Here we have to subtract 5x from 8x, so we will write \[8x - 5x\].
Now we calculate the value obtained from the subtraction \[8x - 5x\].
We will take x common from both the terms as they both have ‘x’ as common variables.
\[ \Rightarrow 8x - 5x = x(8 - 5)\]
Now we calculate the difference of terms inside the bracket, i.e. we deduct 5 from 8.
\[ \Rightarrow 8x - 5x = x \times 3\]
Multiply the terms in right hand side of the equation,
\[ \Rightarrow 8x - 5x = 3x\]

\[\therefore \]The value of subtraction of second term (5x) from first term (8x) is 3x.

Note:
Many students make mistake of converting the statement into equation form as they think second term from first term means second term will come first in equation which is wrong, keep in mind subtraction is not commutative i.e. \[a - b \ne b - a\] so, placing any term anywhere is wrong.