math help???....?

Question

So i have this problem. My algebra doesnt teach. So i have a hard time understanding my homework.
integers. When are you supposed to change negatives to positives in a question.
Example. -12 - (-14) according to the teacher the two negatives in the middle should be changed to positives. but when?

other examples.
(6-1)-(-12+2)

(-25+50)-(-4-6)

help would be most appreciated :]

Answer 1

Yes, subtracting a negative is the same as adding a positive.

When you see parentheses, do all the computations inside the parentheses first. Then if there's a minus sign in front, you simply change the sign of whatever's left inside the parentheses.


-12 - (-14)
-12 + 14
2


(6-1) - (-12+2)
equals
5 - (-10)
equals
5+10
equals
15

(-25+50) - (-4-6)
(25) - (-10)
25 + 10
35

Hopefully that helps!

Answer 2

If you're more "English" oriented, I have an easy way to remember pos and negs.

When you're speaking, and you have a "double negative," it is actually a positive, correct? I.E.--"I don't want no tacos" really means that you do want tacos.

In math, it's the same way. If you are subtracting a negative number (double negative), you are really adding. For your example: -12-(-14) would be the same as -12+14, which would equal 2.

Second example: (6-1)-(-12+2)=(5)-(-10)=5+10=15

Third: (-25+50)-(-4-6)=(25)-(-10)=25+10=35

It's the same for multiplication (-3*-4=+12) and division (-12/-3=+4). Hope I helped!

Answer 3

Firstly, work on whatever is inside the brackets and try and get that to a simple number eg in your "other examples 1"
(6-1) becomes (5), and (-12 + 2) becomes (-10) which leaves
(5) - (-10). Now if you know your "bracket rules" then you know that you multiply whatever is in front of the bracket by whatever is inside. When there is no number outside the bracket you can take it as 1, because anything you multiply by 1 remains the same. but if it's a negative sign in front of the bracket that means you are multiplying by minus 1 or (-1).
Then follow your multiplying rules, + times + equals +.
- times - equals +. And - times + equals -.
therefore in the same example, (5) - (-10) becomes 5 + 10 because -1 times -10 equals +10.

Answer 4

Hi!! I am a math teacher and I can help. You change the negatives to positves only when they are on the outsides of the parenthesis. For example what you had typed, -12-(-14) You would change the -14 to a postive 14, so it would read -12+14 which is 2...Good luck!~

Answer 5

In your first example the two negatives work together to make a positive.

In (6-1)-(-12+2) you have to factor the negative through the second part before you do anything.

(6-1)+12-2 then you can add and subtract accordingly.

(5)+10= 15

Always remember to factor the negative through before trying to complete an exercise.

Good Luck!

Angela

Answer 6

General rule :

Negative multiply by negative is Positive.