Subtraction Table for 3
Each row subtracts numbers 1 through 12 from 3. Subtraction is the inverse of addition and appears in change-making, scores, and measurements.
Rows drop below zero once the subtrahend passes 3: 3 − 4 = −1, and the column keeps walking down — the smallest value here is 3 − 12 = -9. Subtract an even number and parity survives; subtract an odd and it flips: 3 − 3 = 0. Taking away 10 moves only the tens digit: 3 − 10 = -7, a first dip below zero. Read the difference column bottom-up and it climbs, one step at a time, back to 2 — a countdown fully reversed.
| Subtrahend | Difference |
|---|---|
| 3 − 1 | 2 |
| 3 − 2 | 1 |
| 3 − 3 | 0 |
| 3 − 4 | -1 |
| 3 − 5 | -2 |
| 3 − 6 | -3 |
| 3 − 7 | -4 |
| 3 − 8 | -5 |
| 3 − 9 | -6 |
| 3 − 10 | -7 |
| 3 − 11 | -8 |
| 3 − 12 | -9 |
Frequently asked questions
What is 3 − 4?
3 − 4 = -1.
What does the difference column mean?
The difference is the result after subtracting — here, the second number in each row, such as 3 − 2 = 1.
Is subtraction commutative?
No — swapping the order changes the result: 3 − 3 = 0, but 3 − 3 = 0. That is why reading the row direction matters.