Elementary Algebra

Published by Cengage Learning
ISBN 10: 1285194055
ISBN 13: 978-1-28519-405-9

Chapter 1 - Some Basic Concepts of Arithmetic and Algebra - 1.3 - Integers: Addition and Subtraction - Problem Set 1.3 - Page 19: 31

Answer

$-5$

Work Step by Step

We start with the given expression: $3-8$ First, we will convert this to an addition problem, using the definition of subtraction: $3+(-8)$ We can find the sum of a positive and a negative integer by subtracting the smaller absolute value from the larger absolute value and giving the result the sign of the original number that has the larger absolute value. Since $|-8|>|3|$, we can subtract $3$ from $8$, giving us $5$. Since the large number was originally negative, we give our result the negative sign: $-5$
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