Subtract

The '''subtract''' operator is an [[Arithmetic Operators|arithmetic operator]] which subtracts a [[Numbers|number]] object from another.

Its token is named '''SUBTRACTION'''.

== Phrases ==
* {{code|operator|minus}}
* {{code|operator|without}}
* {{code|operator|the difference between}}
** {{code|operator|and}}
* {{code|operator|subtract}}
** {{code|operator|from}}


=== Infix ===
{{See Also/small|Infix notation}}
Infix notation can be achieved using the phrases {{Code|operator|minus}} or {{Code|operator|without}}.

Its [[FDS]] is
{{codeblock|{{tag|value|number}}{{tag|whitespace}}{{Code|operator|[minus/without]}}{{tag|whitespace}}{{tag|value|number}}}}

==== Example ====

{{codeblock|{{Code|keyword|I wrote}}{{Code|whitespace| }}{{Code|type|the number}}{{Code|whitespace| }}{{Code|literal|13}}{{Code|whitespace| }}{{Code|operator|minus}}{{Code|whitespace| }}{{Code|type|the number}}{{Code|whitespace| }}{{Code|literal|10}}{{Code|punctuation|.}}}}

This [[Print|prints]] {{Code|literal|3}}.

Its Java equivalent is as follows:
{{codeblock|<SOURCE LANG=java>System.out.println((double)13 - (double)10);</SOURCE>}}

=== Prefix ===
{{See Also/small|Prefix notation}}

Prefix notation can be achieved using the phrase {{Code|operator|subtract}} or {{Code|operator|the difference between}} and the infix separator {{Code|operator|from}} or {{Code|operator|and}}.

Its [[FDS]] is
{{codeblock|{{Code|operator|[subtract/the difference between]}}{{tag|whitespace}}{{tag|value|number}}{{tag|whitespace}}{{Code|operator|[and/from]}}{{tag|whitespace}}{{tag|value|number}}

==== Example ====
{{codeblock|{{Code|keyword|I wrote}}{{Code|whitespace| }}{{Code|operator|the difference between}}{{Code|whitespace| }}{{Code|type|the number}}{{Code|whitespace| }}{{Code|literal|13}}{{Code|whitespace| }}{{Code|operator|and}}{{Code|whitespace| }}{{Code|type|the number}}{{Code|whitespace| }}{{Code|literal|10}}{{Code|punctuation|.}}}}

This has the same effect as the previous example.

Note that this can introduce some ambiguity. For instance:

{{codeblock|{{code|keyword|I wrote}}{{code|whitespace| }}{{code|operator|the difference between}}{{code|whitespace| }}{{code|literal|10}}{{code|operator|and}}{{code|whitespace| }}{{code|literal|2}}{{code|whitespace| }}{{code|operator|and}}{{code|literal|5}}{{code|punctuation|.}}}}
{{output|13}}

One might expect the output to be 3, because they expect its Java equivalent to be <SOURCE LANG=Java>10 - 2 - 5</SOURCE>, but its Java equivalent is actually <SOURCE LANG=Java>10 - 2 + 5</SOURCE>. This is because the {{code|operator|the difference between}} and {{code|operator|subtract}} operators only have '''one''' partner infix operator, {{code|operator|and}} and {{code|operator|from}}, respectively. This means that 
{{codeblock|{{code|keyword|I wrote}}{{code|whitespace| }}{{code|operator|the difference between}}{{code|whitespace| }}{{code|literal|10}}{{code|operator|and}}{{code|whitespace| }}{{code|literal|2}} is processed alone, and returns {{code|literal|8}}. Then, {{code|literal|8}}{{code|whitespace| }}{{code|operator|and}}{{code|whitespace| }}{{code|literal|5}} is processed as [[addition]], returning {{code|literal|13}}. This is because using an {{code|operator|and}} as an operator without any prefix context denotes addition. There is no prefix context for the second {{code|operator|and}} because the first one has already been processed.

== Decrement ==
{{Main/small|Decrement}}

The decrement operator is a special case of subtraction, and subtracts the fixed value {{Code|literal|1}} from a '''variable''' and cannot be used on literals.

== See Also ==
* [[Prefix notation]]
* [[Infix notation]]
* [[Decrement]]

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