Negative 4 minus negative 2

Wiki User.

Subtracting positive numbers, such as 4 - 2, is easy. When we subtract negative numbers or subtract negative numbers to positive numbers, it gets more complicated. Here are some simple rules to follow when subtracting negative numbers. For example: this is what you have learned before. So, instead of subtracting a negative, you are adding a positive.

Negative 4 minus negative 2

The rules for adding and subtracting negative numbers works similarly to adding and subtracting positive numbers. When you'd added a positive number, you'd moved to the right on the number line. When you'd subtracted a positive number, you'd moved to the left. Adding and Subtracting Integers. Now, if you're adding a negative number, you can regard this is pretty much the same as when you were subtracting a positive number, if you view "adding a negative" as adding to the left. That is, by plus-ing a minus, you're adding in the other direction. In the same vein, if you subtract a negative that is, if you minus a minus , you're subtracting in the other direction; that is, you'll be subtracting by moving to the right. Graphically, it would be drawn as "an arrow from zero to nine, and then a 'negative' arrow going five units backwards":. Because you now have negative numbers off to the left of zero, you also now have the room necessary in order to complete this subtraction. View the subtraction as adding a negative 9 ; that is, draw an arrow from zero to five, and then a "minus" arrow that goes nine units backwards:. Of course, this method of counting off your answer on a number line won't work so well if you're dealing with larger numbers. You certainly don't want to use a number line for this. But how do you figure out which negative number is the answer? You know now that the answer will be negative, because you're subtracting a number that is, the 9 that is bigger than the one that you'd started with that is, the 5. The easiest way of dealing with this is to do the subtraction normally with the smaller number being subtracted from the larger number , and then put a "minus" sign on the answer:.

The main thing to be careful of is that signs stay with their numbers.

.

If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website. To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser. Donate Log in Sign up Search for courses, skills, and videos. Subtracting negative numbers fluently. Review the basic of subtracting negative numbers and try some practice problems. Subtracting negative numbers. Subtracting a number is the same as adding the opposite of the number.

Negative 4 minus negative 2

If you're seeing this message, it means we're having trouble loading external resources on our website. To log in and use all the features of Khan Academy, please enable JavaScript in your browser. Donate Log in Sign up Search for courses, skills, and videos. Intro to negative numbers. About About this video Transcript. Mysterious negative numbers! What ARE they? They are numbers less than zero. If you understand the nature of below zero temperatures, you can understand negative numbers. We'll help.

Oscar nominations wiki

What us negative 3 1 2 minus 3 4? The easiest way of dealing with this is to do the subtraction normally with the smaller number being subtracted from the larger number , and then put a "minus" sign on the answer:. Don't do this in real life! Subtracting positive numbers, such as 4 - 2, is easy. Terms of Use Privacy Contact. That is, by plus-ing a minus, you're adding in the other direction. Suppose "adding" means "driving in 'Drive'", "subtracting" means "driving in 'Reverse'", "positive" means "facing the right way for trafic on your side of the street", and "negative" means "facing the wrong way". I started with the number zero. What is positive 3 plus negative 5 minus negative 2 minus positive 4? On the number line we start at 2. Liked this post?

Last Updated: March 23, Fact Checked. To create this article, 12 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page.

Resources Leaderboard All Tags Unanswered. What is negative 3 minus 1? When you subtract a "minus" that is, a negative number from another number, you are actually adding a positive number to that other number. In practice, yes, you will be drawing an actual vertical line through the "minus" signs to create the "plus" signs. Now, if you're adding a negative number, you can regard this is pretty much the same as when you were subtracting a positive number, if you view "adding a negative" as adding to the left. Related questions. To add a negative, you're in "Drive" but, since you're facing the wrong way, you still plow into the car behind you. Not a member? That is, subtracting a negative is the same as adding a positive. Rule 3: Subtracting a negative number from a negative number — a minus sign followed by a negative sign, turns the two signs into a plus sign. We've seen how to work with two numbers. Best Answer. Here are some simple rules to follow when subtracting negative numbers. So I won't give you a "proper" mathematical explanation of this "the minus of a minus is a plus" rule. The main thing to be careful of is that signs stay with their numbers.