Topic Details (Notes format)

How to Work with Negative Numbers (Addition and Subtraction)

Subject: Mathematics

Book: Maths Mastery

Adding and subtracting negative numbers requires careful attention to signs. For addition: if both numbers share the same sign, add their absolute values and keep that sign. For example, (–3) + (–5) = –8. If signs differ, subtract the smaller absolute value from the larger and keep the sign of the larger absolute value: (–7) + 4 = –3. Subtraction can be converted to addition of the opposite: a – b = a + (–b). Understanding negative numbers is vital in contexts like temperature changes, financial debts, or coordinate geometry. Frequent practice cements your skill, preventing sign errors in more advanced algebraic operations.

Practice Questions

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