1. **State the problem:** Simplify the expression $2444 - 1228$. 2. **Formula used:** Subtraction of integers is performed by subtracting the second number from the first: $$a - b = c$$ where $a=2444$ and $b=1228$. 3. **Perform the subtraction:** $$2444 - 1228 = ?$$ 4. **Calculate step-by-step:** $$2444 - 1228 = 1216$$ 5. **Explanation:** Subtracting 1228 from 2444 means finding the difference between these two numbers, which is 1216. **Final answer:** $$2444 - 1228 = 1216$$