Adding and Subtracting Rational Numbers

Front

What is a rational number?

Back

A rational number is any number that can be expressed as the quotient or fraction of two integers, where the denominator is not zero.

Front

How do you add two rational numbers with the same sign?

Back

When adding rational numbers with the same sign, you must add their absolute values together and keep the common sign.

Front

What is the result of -31 + -7?

Back

The result is -38.

Front

What is the result of -12 + -8?

Back

The result is -20.

Front

What is the result of -9 + (-5)?

Back

The result is -14.

Front

How do you subtract a rational number from another?

Back

To subtract a rational number, you can add its opposite. For example, a - b is the same as a + (-b).

Front

What is the result of -4 - 10?

Back

The result is -14.

Front

What do you do when adding rational numbers with different signs?

Back

When adding rational numbers with different signs, subtract the smaller absolute value from the larger absolute value and take the sign of the number with the larger absolute value.

Front

What is the absolute value of a number?

Back

The absolute value of a number is its distance from zero on the number line, regardless of direction. It is always a non-negative value.

Front

What is the sum of -5 and 3?

Back

The sum is -2, since you subtract 3 from 5 and take the sign of -5.