Final answer:
To add the integers (-12) + (+5) + (-18), you first add the negative numbers to get -30, and then you add 5 to -30. The final sum is -25 after you subtract the smaller number from the larger number and keep the sign of the larger number.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question involves the addition of integers. To find the sum of (-12), (+5), and (-18), you follow these steps:
- Add the negative numbers together: (-12) + (-18) = -30.
- Add the positive number to the sum of negative numbers: (-30) + (+5).
- Since one number is negative and one is positive, you subtract the smaller number from the larger number and keep the sign of the larger number.
- So, -30 + 5 = -25. The sign is negative because -30 is larger than 5.
The rules of addition tell us that the order in which we add numbers does not affect the result (commutative property: A+B = B+A) and that adding two negative numbers results in a negative sum (negative plus negative equals negative). When adding numbers with different signs, you effectively subtract the smaller absolute value from the larger.