If a and b are any two real numbers, explain how you calculate the difference a - b. Be sure to include the following in your ex

Question

2 years ago

10

If a and b are any two real numbers, explain how you calculate the difference a - b. Be sure to include the following in your ex

planation.
(A) a description of the relationship between addition and subtraction
(B) how you can use a number line to help with the calculation
(C) how you can determine the sign of the result

Mathematics

1 answer:

Tamiku [17] · Answer 1 · 2022-06-15T18:41:24+03:00

- Subtraction can be thought of as the inverse operation of addition, OR as addition itself, if you look at it as adding a negative number.

- The number line allows us to interpret subtraction (or addition of a negative) geometrically; we can view it as a movement to the left on the number line with a distance equal to the number being subtracted.

- Lastly, the value of any expression a - b (where a and b are real numbers) is determined by the relative sizes of the numbers. If a > b, then a - b > 0 (a positive result). If b > a, then a - b < 0 (a negative result.