Question

which number line model can you use to simplify 2+(-8)

Answer 1

-6

Answer 2

Lets take any positive number \(\large\color{black}{ a}\) and a positive number \(\large\color{black}{ b }\) .

When you say, \(\large\color{black}{ a+(-b) }\), then, it is the same thing as saying,
\(\large\color{black}{ a-b. }\)

For example,
\(\large\color{black}{ 12+(-4) }\) is same as,
\(\large\color{black}{ 12-4 }\)
and we know that the above is equal to \(\large\color{black}{ 8 }\), so the answer is \(\large\color{black}{ 8 }\) .

Another For example,
\(\large\color{black}{ 6+(-11) }\) is same as,
\(\large\color{black}{ 6-11 }\)
and we know that \(\large\color{black}{ 11-6=5 }\), but in our case, since the negative number is greater than a positive (refering to the magnitude of the number, not the value) the above is equal to \(\large\color{black}{ -5 }\), so the answer is \(\large\color{black}{ -5 }\) .