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The distance between 19 and -15 on a number line is 4?

User EricSch
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1 Answer

5 votes

Answer:

See explanation below.

Explanation:

No.

The distance between 19 and 15 is 4. Both numbers are positive, 4 units apart.

The distance between -19 and -15 is also 4. Both numbers are negative, 4 units apart.

When you find the distance from 19 to -15, keep in mind that one number is positive, 19, and one number is negative, -15. The two numbers are on different side of zero on the number line.

Start at -15. -15 is 15 units to the left of zero. To get to 0, you need to go 15 units right. Now you need to go from 0 to 19. That is another 19 units right. Add 15 + 19 to get 34.

The distance from 19 to -15 on a number line is not 4. It is 34.

User Tdelaney
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