Final answer:
Subtracting a negative number from a positive number is equivalent to adding the two numbers. Since addition of a positive number always increases the value, the result of this operation is always a positive number. Option A is the correct answer.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the result of subtracting a negative number from a positive number, it's essential to remember that subtraction of a negative is equivalent to addition. Using the general rules of addition, we can determine the outcome of such an operation. For example, when we subtract -3 from 5, it is the same as adding 3 to 5 (5 - (-3) = 5 + 3), resulting in 8, a positive number.
To understand this concept further, let's consider the rules of adding numbers with different signs. When adding two numbers with opposite signs, we subtract the smaller number from the larger number, and the answer will have the sign of the larger number. So, when subtracting a negative number, which is the same as adding a positive, the result will always increase in magnitude and maintain a positive sign given that the original number we started with is positive.
Given this explanation, the correct answer to the question, 'What is the result of subtracting a negative number from a positive number?' is (a) Always positive. This is because the subtraction of a negative number effectively becomes the addition of its positive counterpart, leading to an increased value.