Work out= plus, minus, multiply and divide?

[Ashraful Haque]

We South Asian people say plus, minus, multiply and divide when talking about math. I know most people anywhere in the world would understand me. But in a few movies/shows I've heard people saying 'work out' for adding and I think multiply, divide and minus are also called something else.

Q1) Can you please tell me what native speakers call these and how to use them in sentences?
Q2) I've looked up 'work out' and one of the meanings is "solve a sum or determine an amount by calculation." But it doesn't say anything about adding." What does it actually mean in this context?

 

[emsr2d2]

It simply means "calculate".

If I ask you to work out what twenty percent of eighty-three is, I am simply asking you to calculate the answer. The mathematical problem in question will determine whether you use addition, subtraction, multiplication, division or a combination of them.

 

[Ashraful Haque]

It simply means "calculate".

If I ask you to work out what twenty percent of eighty-three is, I am simply asking you to calculate the answer. The mathematical problem in question will determine whether you use addition, subtraction, multiplication, division or a combination of them.

Thank you very much. Say there's question that asks you to figure out the 'gross profit margin' and the formula is:
Gross profit margin= gross profit/sales x 100.

Can I say to "Try to work out the gross profit margin by yourself?"

My second question is do Americans say 'take away' to mean minus? I think I heard something like this in a video just the other day. I might be wrong.

 

[GoesStation]

My second question is do Americans say 'take away' to mean minus? I think I heard something like this in a video just the other day. I might be wrong.

American children often do. Adults usually say "minus" or "less".