Subtract¶

Math · Arithmetic

Subtract B from A element-wise. Useful for spreads ('close − sma'), differences, and pair-trading constructions.

Subtract takes one series away from another, bar by bar — A minus B. It's the arithmetic block behind spreads and differences: the gap between price and a moving average, the spread between two instruments, the distance between two indicators.

How it works¶

Each bar the block outputs A − B. Either input can be Bars (uses close) or a series. Missing values produce NaN.

When to use it¶

Use Subtract to measure a gap. The classic case is close − SMA to build your own oscillator that swings around zero (price relative to its average). It's also the heart of pair-trading constructions (the spread between two correlated instruments) and any "how far apart are these two lines?" measurement. Pair the result with a Greater Than against zero to turn a spread into a directional condition.

Example¶

A price-vs-average oscillator: Subtract an SMA (B) from price (A) to get a zero-centred line — positive means price is above its average, negative below. Feed it into a Greater Than against 0 for a simple trend condition, and backtest in the Tester.

Tips & gotchas¶

Order matters — A − B, not B − A. Swap the inputs and the sign flips.
Either input can be bars or series — bars use close.
Great for spreads — pair trading, price-minus-MA oscillators, line distances.
For subtracting a fixed number, use Scalar Math.

Inputs¶

Socket	Type	What to wire in
A	`series` / `bars`	First operand. BARS input uses close.
B	`series` / `bars`	Second operand. BARS input uses close.

Outputs¶

Output	Type	Plots as	Description
A − B	`series`	Line · sub-pane	Per-bar element-wise result.

Reference auto-generated from the block catalog · category Math.