Question 44786
<pre><font size = 5><b>I need help with this problem: 
IF a = -1 and b = 2

- | - a - b | 
What I have so far is the following: 
- | - |(- 1)- 2 |

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No that's not quite right.

                      - | - a   - b |

Replace a by (-1) and b by 2:

                      - | -(-1) - 2 |

Replace -(-1) by 1: 

                      - |   1   - 2 |

Replace 1 - 2 by -1:

                      - |     -1    |

Replace |     -1     | by 1:

                      -      1

 
That's it. -1.

Edwin</pre>