When you change the answer's signs around in an equation, is there a name or property for that?
For example:
-5 - 11 - h = -7
here's where i'm confused: you circle and change the subtraction to addition with a negative, right?
-5 + -11 + -h = -7
-16 + -h = -7
+16 +16
the two 16s on the left are inverse, so they get crossed out, and you solve the other side, which leaves you with:
-h = 9
now are you allowed to just solve for a positive h, like this:
h = -9
or can you? i really have no clue!!!!
2007-10-27 13:30:44 · 5 answers · asked by =^..^= 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Mathematics
Yes, what you've done is correct.
What you have done is either multiply by -1 or divide by -1 (since both give you the same result)
(-1)(-h)=(-1)(9)
h=-9
The same idea as your step adding 16 to both sides.
And of course you can do that at any time, such as right at the beginning if it would make working with the numbers any easier for you. That would make your equation look like...
5+11+h=7
so that you would then have to subtract 16 etc...
:)
2007-10-27 13:48:19 · answer #1 · answered by Kenn 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Multiply every term by (- 1) is an easy way:-
5 + 11 + h = 7
16 + h = 7
h = 7 - 16
h = - 9
2007-10-31 08:01:49 · answer #2 · answered by Como 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
-5 - 11 - h = -7
-16 - h = -7
-h = 9 just multiply both sides by -1
h = - 9 you are correct.
2007-10-27 13:38:44 · answer #3 · answered by rettix 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Certainly. You might call that last step, "multiplying by negative one".
2007-10-27 13:38:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
u got it!!!
2007-10-27 14:00:00 · answer #5 · answered by swim queen 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋