Q&A for How to Add and Subtract Negatives

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How do I subtract a negative number from a positive number, or vice versa?

Donagan

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To subtract a negative number, change it to a positive number, and add it to the other number. To subtract a positive number, do not change its sign, but simply subtract it.

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Question

How do I add and subtract on a number line?

Donagan

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Move to the right when you're adding a positive number. Move to the left when you're adding a negative number. Move to the left when you're subtracting a positive number. Move to the right when you're subtracting a negative number.

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Question

What about subtracting a larger positive # from a smaller negative #?

Donagan

Top Answerer

The relative size of the two numbers doesn't matter. You add the two absolute values together and put a negative sign in front of the sum.

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Question

Where did all of those random numbers come from?

Donagan

Top Answerer

If you're referring to the "number line," they are not random numbers. A number line just shows the relative positions of various numbers. The value of numbers increases as you move to the right on the line, and it decreases as you move to the left.

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Question

For method 2 step 4, how did they get the answer for the third example?

Donagan

Top Answerer

They're just saying that subtracting -3 from -4 is the same as adding +3 to -4, and because adding can be done in any order, adding +3 to -4 is the same as adding -4 to +3, which is the same as subtracting 4 from 3.

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