SOLUTION: List the conditions when the sum of a positive number and several negative numbers will be positive.

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Question 182900: List the conditions when the sum of a positive number and several negative numbers will be positive.



Found 2 solutions by solver91311, jim_thompson5910:
Answer by solver91311(24713) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


There is only one condition:

For






John

Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
If the last solution did not make sense, then what the tutor was trying to say was that if you have a positive number (say "x") and a whole bunch of negative numbers, then the sum of that positive number "x" and the rest of the negative numbers will be positive if and only if that positive number is greater than the absolute value of the sum of the negative numbers.


Example:
So let's say that you had the positive number 5 and the negative numbers -2 and -1. Add the negative numbers to get -2%2B%28-1%29=-3. Now take the absolute value of the result -3 to get abs%28-3%29=3. Now the question is: "Is the positive number 5 greater than 3 (ie is 5%3E3 true)? The answer is yes.


So this shows us that 5%2B%28-2%29%2B%28-1%29 is positive