Someone pllleeeaaase explain to my why subtracting a negative is like adding?

Question

I have to write a paper on this subject & I just need an idea of the whole question

Answer 1

a negative and a negative is always positive?

Answer 2

Easier to understand if you use the number line analogy.

Say the first number is +15 or 15

Say the second number is -7

-7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15

On this number line if you subtract -7 from a position of -7 you would be taking a number and subtracting itself which would lead to 0 by the identity property. So subtracting -7 is moving to the right 7 units and adding 7 units is the same as moving to the right 7 units so...

15 - (-7) is the same as 15 + 7 by the information given above

Answer 3

The easiest way to explain this is draw a number line put 10 ticks on it then at the middle put zero to the left put the negative numbers and to the right of the zero put positive numbers put a dot on a number and subtract 3. You will go to the left if you are in the positive. but if you are in the negative you will move to the right. The reason why is because -3 means subtract 3 so if you subtract 3 to -3 it is like --3 and when you think about it positive has to negative + one crossing the other one that has helped me figure out why it turns positive.

Answer 4

Well, some of the integral rules are complicated to explain. When you're adding and subtracting integers, you have to do the opposite of the operation. For instance, if the question was, 5 - (-4), you would do 5 + 4. If you had 7 + (-12), then you'd do: 7 - 12. There really is no explanation for these rules, but, in Math, just focus on HOW, not WHY. Hope this somewhat answered your question.

Answer 5

Taking the zero to the center of the numbers like this: -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
-4 --5 =(-)9 spaces from the zero just like +4 + +5 =9
spaces from
zero.
ث✐❥

Answer 6

Ok, well picture a line with numbers on it, 0 in the middle, negative numbers on the left, positive on the right.

-10-------- -5 ---------- 0 -------- 5 ------- 10

From the zero, move to the left by 10. You have added a -10 (negative 10) to get there. If you add more negative numbers you
go farther away from the zero. If you subtract a negagive number
you go closer to the zero, or eventually to the positive side.

Hope that helps you visualize it.

Answer 7

Think of a number line.

Add/Subtract decides which way you face.

Add = face right
Subtract = face left

Positive/Negative decides if you go forward or backwards.

Positive = forward
Negative = backwards

For subtracting, you face left, and then walk backwards. Towards the positive numbers, which is moving like adding a positive.

Answer 8

Subtraction is more like just switching the number.

For a math problem, it's more like you're doing 10 - (+2) = 8. It's exactly the same as doing 10 - (positive)2.

Doing 10 - (-2) = 12... When you get rid of more than 0 (positive/+), you lose your amount. When you get rid of less than 0 it goes up.

Err... I hope that helps, I do what I can... I'll check in later to see if I can better answer it.

Answer 9

When you subtract a negative, it's like adding it. let me explain: let's say you have 200 bucks and i lend you 100. you spend the 300 bucks. now you have negative 100 bucks because you owe me 100 so its as if you have negative.
then i say forget it, you don't have to pay me back. lets just say it was a gift. ur rly happy. so you subtract those negative 100 bucks from your total amount of money and now you have 0.
basically, what happeened was you had 200+my 100. you spent all that and ended with 0. but because the 100 were mine you rly owe me 100 so its like -100. then i let you go so you subtract negative 100 =0
if you still don't get it ill just say when u subtract a negative is like taking away the negative. when you take it away, ur left with more. so its rly like adding 2 numbers

Answer 10

When you subtract a number, you normally take an amount away from the number you already have. But when you subtract a negative number, you're taking away a negative number from what you have, making it a positive. It's like when you owe someone money, say you owe Bob 2 dollars. This is like -2. Now, say Bob decides that you dont really have to pay him back. So, now if you gain two dollars, you dont have to pay him that money, so its like a gain for you. It's like you just got 2 dollars, or whatever he got you for 2 dollars you got for free. does that make sense?

Answer 11

When you subtract, you take away a certain value. This rings true with negative values.

If I say 5 - (-2), Im saying take away -2 units from 5. Since taking away 2 units would mean 5 becomes 3, taking away -2 units should then mean 5 becomes 7