document.write( "Question 25944: i've got maths homework from my teacher i want to know:why do you need to have a take away sign in front of the equation whilst subtracting terms e.g -y-4y what does the first take away sign mean? \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #13952 by AnlytcPhil(1807)\"\" \"About 
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I've got maths homework from my teacher i want to know:\r\n" );
document.write( "Why do you need to have a \"take away\" sign in front of the equation whilst\r\n" );
document.write( "subtracting terms e.g -y-4y what does the first take away sign mean?\r\n" );
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document.write( "It's not an \"equation\" because it doesn't have an equal sign \" = \".  It's\r\n" );
document.write( "called an \"expression\". \r\n" );
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document.write( "That's not a \"take away\" sign in front.  It's a NEGATIVE sign.\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"MINUS ___\" means \"take away ___\" which means \"PLUS NEGATIVE ___\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "-y-4y means \"NEGATIVE y MINUS 4y\" which means \"NEGATIVE y PLUS NEGATIVE 4y\"\r\n" );
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document.write( "That is,\r\n" );
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document.write( "-y - 4y  means\r\n" );
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document.write( "(-y) + (-4y)\r\n" );
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document.write( "The (-y) means (-1y), so you have\r\n" );
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document.write( "(-1y) + (-4y)\r\n" );
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document.write( "We are adding like y-quantities so since (-1) + (-4) = (-5), we have\r\n" );
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document.write( "(-5y)\r\n" );
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document.write( "or \r\n" );
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document.write( "-5y\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"Take away\" signs and \"negative\" signs look just alike but they are different.\r\n" );
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document.write( "If the \" - \" sign comes in front it's a \"negative\" sign\r\n" );
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document.write( "If the \" - \" sign comes between two terms it's a \"take away\" sign.\r\n" );
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document.write( "Edwin\r\n" );
document.write( "AnlytcPhil@aol.com
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