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More on Adding and Subtracting
Here are some examples involving temperature which illustrate the use of positive and negative integers.
Example 1
The maximum temperature in Canberra on a day during winter was $3$ degrees Celsius.
The temperature dropped $5$ degrees to its minimum.
What was the minimum temperature in Canberra that day?
$3 – 5 = ?$
$3 – 5 = 2$ below zero
$3 – 5 = –2$
Example 2
The minimum temperature in Canberra on another day in winter was $–2$ degrees Celsius.
The temperature rose $4$ degrees to its maximum.
What was the maximum temperature in Canberra that day?
$– 2 + 4 = ?$
Example 3
The temperature in Perisher valley one evening was $-4$ degrees Celsius. Overnight the temperature fell $2$ degrees Celsius. What was the temperature in the morning?
$– 4 – 2 = ?$ Did you get $– 6?$
Try the following questions for yourself.
$6-7=$ | ||
$-7+6=$ | ||
$3-12+10=$ | ||
$-20+5=$ | ||
$-10-20=$ |
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