Question

when is the sum of a positive and a negative number equal to a negative number explain in at least one complete sentence then give an example for this

Answer 1

The sum of a positive and a negative number is negative when the negative number is further from 0 than the positive number.

Formally, we'd say that the negative number has to have a bigger absolute value than the positive number.

For instance, in the expression 3 + (-5), 3 is 3 units from 0, while -5 is 5 units away - mathematically, |3| = 3 and |-5| = 5, so |-5| > |3|. Doing the addition and finding 3 + (-5) = -2, a negative number, we find that this agrees with our initial definition.

Answer 2

Think money

If you owe your mom 75 dollars, from your point of view you have - 75 dollars.

You go for a walk in the park and find a 50 dollar bill. There's no one around, so you decide to keep it. If you intend to pay your mom back, where are you? From your point of view you just have + 50 dollars to offset that - 75. Add them together.

- 75 + 50 = -25 You are still in negative territory, but you owe your mom a lot less than you did before you went for a walk.