Question

1. What happened when you had a negative plus a negative, (-a) + (-b)?

I
2. What happened when you had a positive plus a negative, a + (-b)?
***Is this the same as a positive minus a positive, a - b?
3. What happened when you had a positive minus a negative, a - (-b)?
4. What happened when you had a negative minus a negative, (-a) - (-b)?​

Answer 1

See Explanation

Explanation:

1.

What happens when negative adds to negative; e.g (-a) + (-b)

First, we need to simplify the expression

`(-a) + (-b)`

Open the brackets

`-a - b`

Factorize

`-(a+b)`

So, what happens is that: the two numbers are added together and the result is negated;

E.g.

`(-5) + (-3) = -(5 + 3) = -8`

2.

What happens when positive is added to negative; e.g. a + (-b)

First, we need to simplify the expression

`a + (-b)`

Open the brackets

`a - b`

So, what happens is that: the negative number is subtracted from the positive number

And Yes;
`a + (-b)` is the same as
`a - b` (As shown above)

E.g.

`5 + (-3) = 5 - 3 =2`

3.

What happens when to positive minus a negative; e.g. a - (-b)

First, we need to simplify the expression

`a - (-b)`

Open the brackets

`a + b`

So, what happens is that; the two numbers are added together.

E.g.

`5 - (-3) = 5 + 3 = 8`

4.

What happens when negative minus a negative; e.g. (-a) - (-b)

First, we need to simplify the expression

`(-a) - (-b)`

Open the brackets

`-a + b`

Reorder

`b - a`

So, what happens is that; the first number is subtracted from the second.

E.g.

`(-5) - (-3) = 3-5 = -2`