Question

An elevator started on the ground floor. It went up 4 floors, down 4 floors, up 8 floors, and down 2. Which expression matches the scenario?

a= |+4|-|-4|-|+8|-|-2|
b= (+4)-(-4)-(+8)-(-2)
c= (+4)+(-4)+(+8)+(-2)
d= |+4|+|-4|+|+8|+|-2|

Answer 1

answer is c

a and d are crossed off because the action of going up and down is adding and subtracting. Absolute values of any number is a positive. So b and c are left. Then b is crossed out because the is subtracting each value from another which affects the result. Negatives change signs. Positives don't. So you want an equation that sums up all individual values without affect the signs. Answer is C.