document.write( "Question 559438: 5 • (-3) – (-7) \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #363419 by Theo(13342)\"\" \"About 
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5 * (-3) – (-7) = -8
\n" ); document.write( "first multiply 5 * (-3) to get -15
\n" ); document.write( "then subtract (-7) from -15 to get -8
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\n" ); document.write( "when you multiply a positive number by a negative number, the result will always be negative.
\n" ); document.write( "that part was simple.
\n" ); document.write( "when you subtract, the rules are a little more complicated.
\n" ); document.write( "you can simplify them by converting the subtraction into an addition.
\n" ); document.write( "the rules for doing that are as follows:
\n" ); document.write( "subtracting a positive number is the same as adding a negative number.
\n" ); document.write( "subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number.
\n" ); document.write( "the rules for addition come into play now.
\n" ); document.write( "if you are adding a positive number to a positive number, then you add both numbers together and make the sign positive.
\n" ); document.write( "if you are adding a negative number to a negative number, then you add both numbers together and make the sign negative.
\n" ); document.write( "if you are adding a negative number to a positive number, or a positive number to a negative number, then you subtract the smaller number from the larger number and make the sign of the result equal to the sign of the larger number
\n" ); document.write( "your particular situation is:
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\n" ); document.write( "your particular problem has resolved to:
\n" ); document.write( "- 15 - (-7)
\n" ); document.write( "this falls under the subtraction to addition conversion rule of:
\n" ); document.write( "subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number.
\n" ); document.write( "your expression becomes:
\n" ); document.write( "- 15 + 7
\n" ); document.write( "this falls under the addition rule of adding a positive number to a negative number.
\n" ); document.write( "you subtract the smaller number from the larger number to get 15 - 7 = 8
\n" ); document.write( "you give the sign of the larger number to the result to get - 8.
\n" ); document.write( "that's why you got - 8 as the answer.\r
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