Question

Your friend

finds the sum. Is your friend correct?
Explain your reasoning.

-3.7 + (-0.25) = | 3.7 | + | 0.25 | = 3.7 + 0.25 = 3.95

Answer 1

Yes, the friend is correct in finding the sum of -3.7 + (-0.25) = 3.95.

To find the sum, the friend first takes the absolute value of each number (ignoring the negative sign) to find that the absolute value of -3.7 is 3.7 and the absolute value of -0.25 is 0.25.

Then, the friend adds the absolute values of the numbers (3.7 + 0.25) to get 3.95 which is the final answer.

The order of operation is correct and the arithmetic is also correct, so the final result is the correct sum of the two given numbers.