Math issues- subtracting a large number from a small one.?

More importantly, what did you do to get -266 ? You should post your work.

When dealing with signed numbers, finding the difference means just that: find the difference between the two numbers. Now, you also need to decide what sign to give the answer. But that's not so bad. The difference between two signed numbers always takes the sign of the larger (absolute value) number.

In your problem, the two numbers are positive 175 and negative 309.

Which is the larger ? What is its sign ?

so, 309 - 175 is the difference. that equals 134. But the sign has to be negative, so the answer is -134.

You can always determine the SIGN of an answer, before you determine the SIZE of the answer.

Practice.

Subtracting Large Numbers

What he did was "subtract from" the top number (175). Starting from the right he took 9 from the 5 but had to barrow 1 from the 7 (7-1=6). Once he borrowed from the 7 that gave him 15-9= 6, Then the next column to the left 0-6=6, then the final 3-1=2. For a result of 266. The problem is the idea we are "subtracting" instead of the idea we are finding the difference between two numbers. It's the addition or sum of two numbers one of them being negative. If you owe me 309 dollars and you give me 175 that leaves you with a 134 debt or -134.

309

-175

9-5 = 4

then you have to borrow from the 3.

cross off 3 and write 2 above it and cross on the zero and put a 10

then subtract that

you should get 134 then put the negative

[=

Turn the equation around so you're subtracting the smaller number from the larger one.

309 - 175 = 134

Now multiply both sides by -1:

175 - 309 = -134

I used a calculator. I put in 175-309 and that equals -134.

You probably just subtracted wrong.

-134 is the correct answer. The 309 is negative, than you add a positive 175 to the -309 and get -134

just turn it around

309-175=134 and put a - in front = -134

Masstj

(175)+(-309)=(-134)