Question

At the start of a trip, a car's gas tank contains 12 gallons of gasoline. During the trip, the car consumes 10 gallons of gasoline. How much gasoline is left in the tank? Should you represent this amount with a positive or negative value? Why?

Answer 1

How much gasoline is left in the tank?

If the tank contains 12 gallons and then the car consumes 10, we can know how much gasoline is left by substracting 12 with 10:

12 - 10 = 2

Then, 2 gallons of gasoline is left in the tank

Since there is still gasoline because 12 is higher than 10, then we represent this amount with a positive value.