IXL - Add, subtract, multiply, and divide integers (Algebra 1 practice)

Is ^–422,521 + 903 positive or negative?

positive

negative

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Learn with an example

Is ^–71 − ^–36 positive or negative?

positive

negative

Instead of subtracting a number, you can add its opposite.

When you add a positive number and a negative number:

If the positive number has a bigger magnitude, the result is positive.

If the negative number has a bigger magnitude, the result is negative.

Since you are subtracting a negative number, add a positive number instead:

^–71 − ^–36 = ^–71 + 36

Now you have a negative number, ^–71, and a positive number, 36. The result has the same sign as the number with the larger magnitude.

The magnitude of ^–71 is 71.

The magnitude of 36 is 36.

Since ^–71 has a larger magnitude and ^–71 is negative, the result is negative.

You can check your answer by doing the math.

^–71 − ^–36 = ^–35

As you can see, the result is negative.

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