Addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division are collectively known as the four elementary mathematical operations. These operations form the foundation of arithmetic, which is the branch of mathematics dealing with numbers and their manipulation.
Addition is the process of calculating the total of two or more numbers. It involves combining quantities to get a larger sum. For example, if you have 3 apples and you add 2 more apples, you now have 5 apples in total.
Subtraction is the operation of removing a quantity from another. It helps determine the difference between numbers. For instance, if you take 5 apples and remove 2, you are left with 3 apples.
Multiplication is the process of repeated addition. It represents the idea of adding a number to itself a certain number of times. For example, multiplying 4 by 3 (4 x 3) means you add 4 together three times (4 + 4 + 4), which equals 12.
Division is essentially the opposite of multiplication. It is about splitting a quantity into equal parts or determining how many times one number is contained within another. For example, if you have 12 apples and want to divide them among 3 people equally, each person would receive 4 apples.
These operations are fundamental to mathematics and are used in various applications, from basic calculations to advanced mathematics, helping us to solve problems and understand numerical relationships.