Can you subtract a negative number?

Can you subtract a negative number?

Subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number — that is, go up on the number line. This rule works regardless of whether you start with a positive number or a negative number.

Do negatives cancel out in subtraction?

Another way to think of a negative sign is as an OPPOSITE sign. So when you are subtracting a negative, it’s really telling you to do the opposite of subtracting, which ends up being adding.

What happens when you subtract 0 from a negative number?

It isn’t too tricky to perform operations using positive and negative numbers with zero. Use the rule for subtracting signed numbers: Change the operation from subtraction to addition and change the sign of the second number. Likewise, a – 0 = a. It doesn’t change the value of a to subtract zero from it.

What happens if you subtract two negative numbers?

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. So, instead of subtracting a negative, you are adding a positive. So we’re changing the two negative signs into a positive, so the equation now becomes -2 + 4.

What is the rule for adding and subtracting negative numbers?

When adding positive numbers, count to the right. When subtracting positive numbers, count to the left. When subtracting negative numbers, count to the right.

What does a positive minus a negative equal?

):( Positive number minus a negative number switches the double negative to a positive; add the two numbers and it equals a positive number. ):( Negative number minus a positive number, adds the numbers, and keeps the negative sign.

What are the rules for negative and positive numbers?

Rules for Positive and Negative Numbers

  • A positive number has a value greater than zero.
  • A negative number has a value less than zero.
  • The sum of a positive number and its equal negative number is zero.
  • Zero is neither a positive nor negative number.

What is the rule for adding negatives?

The rule is: Adding a negative number is the same as subtracting the corresponding positive number.

What is the rule for adding negative real numbers?

If the number with the larger absolute value is negative, then your sum is negative. In other words you have more negative than positive. If the number with the larger absolute value was positive, then your sum is positive. In other words you have more positive than negative.

What is the rule with negative numbers?

The Rules:

Rule Example
+(+) Two like signs become a positive sign 3+(+2) = 3 + 2 = 5
−(−) 6−(−3) = 6 + 3 = 9
+(−) Two unlike signs become a negative sign 7+(−2) = 7 − 2 = 5
−(+) 8−(+2) = 8 − 2 = 6

What are the rules for adding and subtracting negative numbers?

Here’s the up and down rule for adding a negative number: Adding a negative number is the same as subtracting a positive number — go down on the number line. Subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number — go up on the number line.

What are the rules for subtracting negatives?

Here are two rules to remember: Adding a negative number is just like subtracting a positive number. 3 + -4 = 3 – 4. Subtracting a negative number is just like adding a positive number. The two negatives cancel out each other.

How do you add positive and negative numbers?

Adding Positive and Negative Numbers Rule 1: Adding positive numbers to positive numbers—it’s just normal addition. Rule 2: Adding positive numbers to negative numbers—count forward the amount you’re adding. Rule 3: Adding negative numbers to positive numbers—count backwards, as if you were subtracting.

How do you subtract negative fractions?

When adding negative fractions, add as per normal. Then stick the negative sign to your answer. When subtracting negative fractions, you are, in effect, adding the positive complement of the negative fraction you are subtracting, because subtracting a negative number or fraction is the same as adding the positive of that negative fraction or number.