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The boys at Academy camp are working on math problems to prepare for a math competition. The camp leader has put a problem on the board for the students to work on. Paolo does the following problem incorrectly. Explain the error and redo the problem showing the correct answer

Paolo's answer -0.43-0.2 = -0.23

User Esaruoho
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We don't actually know what the problem originally was, so we don't know what the error was or what the correct answer should be.

If the numbers on the left are given, and the problem is to find the number on the right, then ...

Paolo added 0.2 instead of subtracting it.

-0.43 -0.2 = -0.63 . . . . . correct answer

_____

If the left and right numbers are given and the problem is to find the one in the middle, then ...

Paolo incorrectly calculated 0.43 -0.23, getting -0.2 instead of +0.2.

-0.43 +0.2 = -0.23 . . . . correct answer

_____

If the problem is to find the term on the left, then ...

Paolo incorrectly added 0.2 and -0.23, getting -0.43 instead of -0.03.

-0.03 -0.2 = -0.23 . . . . correct answer

User Dragonthoughts
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