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What is the difference when you subtract 9 from 4?

  1. -5

  2. 5

  3. -13

  4. 13

The correct answer is: -5

When subtracting 9 from 4, you are essentially calculating the value of 4 - 9. This operation involves moving in the negative direction on the number line past zero, as 9 is greater than 4. To break it down, when you start at 4 and subtract 9, you take away 4, which brings you to zero. Then, you need to remove an additional 5 (since 9 - 4 = 5), leading you to -5. This means the result of the subtraction is -5, which signifies that the outcome is 5 units below zero on the number line. Therefore, this subtraction results in -5, representing a negative difference between those two numbers.