Cumulative Practice
Sign In
Instead of subtracting a negative number, you can add.
- 24
We want to find the value of the given expression.
- 38-(- 14)
We can recall to subtract a number we can add its opposite. Let's rewrite the difference as a sum!
- 38-(- 14) ⇔ - 38+14
Finally, we can calculate the value of our expression.
- 38+14 = - 24
We can see that subtracting a negative number is the same as adding its positive counterpart. Below we will demonstrate by finding - 38 and moving 14 units to the right on the number line.
The resulting position, after moving to the right on the number line, is the sum. - 38+14=- 24
These properties tell us the legal
moves we can make when adding or multiplying numbers.
|
But why aren't there properties for subtraction or division? |
Some mathematicians refuse to acknowledge that subtraction and division are even operations! Subtraction is the same thing as adding a negative and division is the same thing as multiplying by a fraction. a-b=a+(- b) and a/b=a* 1/b Therefore, we can use the Properties of Real Numbers for subtraction and division, but we need to change our way of thinking.