Math Is Fun Forum

3dhomejoe

Member

Registered: 2006-02-09

Posts: 22

positive and negative numbers

I had math today and was given a work sheet and that was it and did not get to see it because it was at the end of class and i need help on this...

- { - [ - (- -3) ] }

"It says on my paper Simplify each experssion untill its either a positive or negative integer."

thanks
3dhomejoe

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3ddhomejoe

luca-deltodesco

Member

Registered: 2006-05-05

Posts: 1,470

Re: positive and negative numbers

just remember that two negatives cancel eachother out.

so --3 = 3

you can also remember in this case, that an even number of '-' will make it positive, an odd number negative.

-[-[-[--3]]], there are 5 '-', so it must be -3

you can do it the way you were told to by applying the previous rule

-[-[-[--3]]] = -[-[-3]] = -[--3] = -[3] = -3

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