Question: Homework 1.3: Subtraction of Rational Numbers
Score: 0/10
Answered: 0/10
Progress saved
Done
Question 1
0/1 pt 100 99 Details
Suppose you want to subtract: $3 - 12$.
Re-write this subtraction as an ADDITION of signed numbers.
$3 - 12 =$
Now actually compute $3 - 12 =$
1. **State the problem:** We want to subtract $12$ from $3$, i.e., compute $3 - 12$.
2. **Rewrite subtraction as addition:** Subtraction can be rewritten as addition of the opposite (signed) number. So,
$$3 - 12 = 3 + (-12)$$
3. **Compute the addition:** Adding $3$ and $-12$ means moving $12$ units to the left from $3$ on the number line.
$$3 + (-12) = -9$$
4. **Final answer:**
$$3 - 12 = -9$$
This means subtracting $12$ from $3$ results in $-9$.