Question

If you subtract a positive integer minus a negative integer, do you get a larger or smaller answer? Give an example.

Answer 1

Suppose a and b are two positive integers. Then, -b is a negative integer. Calculating a positive integer, a, minus a negative integer, -b, we get:

$a-(-b)=a+b$

This result, a + b, is a larger answer.

For example, if the positive integer is 3 and the negative integer is -5, we get:

$3-(-5)=3+5=8$