Final answer:
The question involves mathematics concepts such as arithmetic operations with positive and negative numbers and understanding net charge.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question posed relates to the understanding of addition and subtraction in mathematics, specifically the concept of combining positive and negative numbers and charges. When combining charges or numbers, the sign of each quantity is important. For example, in an equation like x + 3(-2), where x represents the oxidation number of the N atom and the overall charge of the species is -1, we solve for x by combining -6 (the result of 3 times -2) with x to equal -1, yielding an x value of +5.
Moving on to simple arithmetic, when subtracting a positive from another positive number, such as 5 - (+3), we simply subtract 3 from 5, getting 2. In another case, subtracting a negative from a positive number, such as 2 - (-6), turns into addition: 2 + 6 equals 8, because the negative sign before the 6 is reversed.
Understanding the net charge or overall charge is essential in both mathematics and chemistry. For example, when we combine different charges like 6 positive charges with 6 negative charges, the net result is zero, as they cancel each other out. If we were to add an additional 2 positive charges to this mixture, we would be left with a net charge of +2, indicating the object is positively charged. Conversely, if we were to have more negative than positive charges, the object would be negatively charged.
Additionally, the concepts of multiplication and division of numbers with signs are important. When we multiply two positive numbers or two negative numbers, the result is positive, such as (-4) x (-3) = 12. However, if the numbers have opposite signs, the result is negative, for example, (-3) x 2 = -6.
Lastly, in scientific notation, certain rules apply to the position of the decimal and the exponent. For instance, if we convert 60.474 × 10^-4 to scientific notation, the exponent becomes more positive since the actual value of the number decreases as we move the decimal point.