Chapter 3
Getting Down with Negative Numbers
In This Chapter
Understanding negative numbers
Finding the absolute value of a number
Adding and subtracting negative numbers
Multiplying and dividing negative numbers
Negative numbers, which are commonly used to represent debt and really cold temperatures, represent amounts less than zero. Such numbers arise when you subtract a large number from a smaller one. In this chapter, you apply the Big Four operations (adding, subtracting, multiplying, and dividing) to negative numbers.
Understanding Where Negative Numbers Come From
When you first discovered subtraction, you were probably told that you can't take a small number minus a greater number. For example, if you start with four marbles, you can't subtract six because you can't take away more marbles than you have. This rule is true for marbles, but in other situations, you can subtract a big number from a small one. For example, if you have $4 and you buy something that costs $6, you end up with less than $0 dollars — that is, –$2, which means a debt of $2.
A number with a minus sign ...
Get Basic Math and Pre-Algebra Workbook For Dummies, 2nd Edition now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
