Example Problem - Adding and Subtracting Positive and Negative numbers

-6 + 2

Step 1a - What is the sign of the left term?
        Negative            Positive

Step 1b - What is the sign of the right term?
        Negative            Positive

Step 1c - Are those the same signs or different signs?
        Same signs, so we will add the values                Different signs, so we will subtract the values

Step 2a - Which number is bigger?
        The first number, - 6                                   The second number, 2

Step 2b - Subtract the values (easier with the bigger number in front or on top). What is 6 - 2 ?
        4                                                                           10

Step 3 - Take the sign of the bigger number. What is our final answer?
        4                                                                            -4

                That is not correct. We said earlier that our bigger number was -6. Because -6 is negative, our answer will be negative.

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