Short Answer 
The difference between the two numbers, 18212 and 17678, is calculated as 534 through the subtraction operation. Understanding the concept of difference and accurately identifying the numbers is key to performing the calculation correctly.
Step 1: Understand the Concept of Difference
In mathematics, the term difference refers to the result obtained when one number is subtracted from another. It’s important to clearly understand what needs to be calculated before performing any operations. Here, we are dealing with two numbers from which we want to find the difference.
Step 2: Identify the Numbers
To perform the subtraction, we need to identify the two numbers involved in the operation. In this case, the numbers are 18212 and 17678. It’s essential to ensure that the numbers are noted accurately to avoid errors in the calculation.
Step 3: Perform the Subtraction
Now that we have identified the numbers, we proceed with the subtraction operation. Subtract 17678 from 18212 using the following calculation:
- 18212
- – 17678
- __________
- = 534
The result of this subtraction is 534, which is the required difference.