Basic Arithmetic and Inverse Operations

🌟 Addition is the process of combining numbers to find the total.

For example, you, Emma, and Alex each have 6 donuts.

Together, you three have:

$$ 6+6+6=18$$

• The numbers being added ($6$, $6$, $6$) are called summands.
• The answer ($18$) is called the sum.

🌟 Multiplication is the process of repeated addition.

In this example, you, Emma, and Alex each have 6 donuts.

Since the same number (6) is repeated three times, we can use multiplication instead to find the total:

$$ 3 \times 6 = 18$$

• The 3 is called the multiplier (how many groups you have).
• The 6 is called the multiplicand (how many in each group).
• The 18 is called the product (the total).

🌟 Subtraction is the process of taking away some numbers from a larger number.

In this example, you, Emma, and Alex together have 18 donuts.

If someone eats 6 donuts, the number of donuts left is:

$$ 18 \ -\ 6 = 12 $$

• The 18 is called the minuend (the starting amount).
• The 6 is called the subtrahend (the amount taken away).
• The 12 is called the difference (the amount that remains).

🌟 Division is the process of splitting a total into equal parts.

For example, you, Emma, Alex, and a friend share 12 donuts equally.

Each person gets:

$$ 12 \div 4 = 3 $$

• The 12 is called the dividend (the total to be shared).
• The 4 is called the divisor (the number of groups or people).
• The 3 is called the quotient (the amount each group gets).

🚨 Can you divide by 0?

No, you cannot divide by 0. Imagine you want to share 12 donuts with 0 people. How would that work?

It is impossible because there is no one to share with. That’s why dividing by 0 is mathematically undefined.

🌟 Inverse operations are pairs of operations that undo each other.

🔮 Addition and subtraction are inverse operations.

Example:
$2 + 5 = 7$ (addition)
$7\ – \ 5 = 2$ (subtraction)

Adding 5 and then subtracting 5 brings you back to the original number (2).

🔮 Multiplication and division are inverse operations.

Example:
$2 \times 3 = 6$ (multiplication)
$6 \div 3 = 2$ (division)

Multiplying by 3 and then dividing by 3 brings you back to the original number (2).