Question

A salesperson starts at the office and travels to 5 customers along a road. The positive numbers stand for going East. The negative numbers stand for going West. Which expression gives the total number of miles she travels to see these 5 customers?

a.|5+8+2 1/2+6 1/4+-3/4|
b.5-8+2 1/2-6 1/4-3/4
c.|5|+|8|+|2 1/2|+|6 1/4|+|3/4|
d.|(5)+(8)+(2 1/2)+(-6 1/4)+(-3/4)|

Answer 1

Step-by-step explanation: Answer is C

Answer 2

Simply look up the numbers in the pictures.

+5, - 8 , + 2 1/2, - 6 1/4, - 3/4

Since we are not interested if it is East or West we ignore the + or - sign.

We only add up the sizes.

So we take the modulus of each number and add to the modulus of the next.

So the answer is:

|5 | + |-8 | + | 2 1/2| + |-6 1/4| + |-3/4|

Option C is the best answer. Though it ignored the minus sign.