Examples with solutions for All Operations in Signed Numbers: Complete the equation

Exercise #1

?:128=24 ?:-12\cdot8=-24

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

Let's factor 24 into a multiplication exercise:

?:12×8=8×3 ?:-12\times8=-8\times3

We'll simplify the 8 in both terms and get:

?:12=3 ?:-12=-3

Let's multiply by negative 12:

?12×12=3×12 \frac{?}{-12}\times-12=-3\times-12

We'll simplify between negative 12 and get:

?=3×12 ?=-3\times-12

Let's note that we are multiplying two negative numbers, so the result will necessarily be a positive number:

?=+36 ?=+36

Answer

36 36

Exercise #2

66:3:?=24 -6\cdot6:-3:?=24

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

Let's write the exercise in the following form:

6×63:?=24 \frac{-6\times6}{-3}:?=24

We'll factor the 6 in the numerator into a multiplication exercise:

3×2×63:?=24 \frac{-3\times2\times6}{-3}:?=24

We'll cancel out the minus 3 found in the numerator and denominator of the fraction and get:

12:?=24 12:?=24

We'll multiply the question mark:

12=24×? 12=24\times?

We'll divide by 24:

1224=? \frac{12}{24}=?

We'll factor 24 into a multiplication exercise:

1212×2=? \frac{12}{12\times2}=\text{?}

We'll cancel out the 12 in the numerator and denominator of the fraction:

12=? \frac{1}{2}=\text{?}

Answer

12 \frac{1}{2}

Exercise #3

20:?4=80 20:?\cdot-4=-80

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

We'll keep the question mark as is and write the exercise in the following way:

20?×4=80 \frac{20}{?}\times-4=-80

Divide by negative 4:

20?×44=804 \frac{20}{?}\times\frac{-4}{-4}=\frac{-80}{-4}

Let's break down the 80 into a multiplication exercise:

20?×44=20×44 \frac{20}{?}\times\frac{-4}{-4}=\frac{20\times-4}{-4}

Note that we are dividing two negative numbers by each other, therefore the result must be a positive number:

20?×44=20×44 \frac{20}{?}\times\frac{4}{4}=\frac{20\times4}{4}

Let's reduce the 4 in both the numerator and denominator of the fraction and we get:

20?×1=20 \frac{20}{?}\times1=20

Multiply by the question mark and we get:

20=20×? 20=20\times\text{?}

Divide by 20 and we get:

2020=? \frac{20}{20}=?

1=? 1=\text{?}

Answer

1 1

Exercise #4

97:?=3 -9\cdot-7:?=-3

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

Let's write the exercise in the following way:

9×7?=3 \frac{-9\times-7}{?}=-3

Note that in the numerator we are multiplying between two negative numbers, therefore the result must be a positive number:

9×7?=3 \frac{9\times7}{?}=-3

Let's multiply by the question mark and get:

9×7=3×? 9\times7=-3\times\text{?}

Let's divide by negative 3 and get:

9×73=? \frac{9\times7}{-3}=\text{?}

Let's factor the 9 into a multiplication exercise:

3×3×73=? \frac{3\times3\times7}{-3}=\text{?}

Let's reduce between the 3 in the numerator and denominator, noting that we are dividing a positive number by a negative number, therefore the result must be a negative number:

3×7=? -3\times7=\text{?}

21=? -21=\text{?}

Answer

21 -21

Exercise #5

?438:9=5 \frac{\text{?}}{-4}\cdot38:-9=-5

Video Solution

Step-by-Step Solution

Let's add 38 to the multiplication exercise in the fraction in the following way:

?×384:9=5 \frac{?\times38}{-4}:-9=-5

Let's multiply by minus 9:

?×384=5×9 \frac{?\times38}{-4}=-5\times-9

Let's multiply by minus 4:

?×38=5×9×4 ?\times38=-5\times-9\times-4

Let's solve the right side first.

Note that we are first multiplying between two negative numbers, so the result must be a positive number:

5×9=+45 -5\times-9=+45

Now we are multiplying a positive number by a negative number, so the result must be a negative number:

45×4=180 45\times-4=-180

Now we got the exercise:

38?=180 38?=-180

Let's divide by 38:

?=18038 ?=-\frac{180}{38}

Let's break down 180 and 38 into multiplication exercises:

?=2×902×19 ?=-\frac{2\times90}{2\times19}

Let's reduce between the 2 in the numerator and denominator:

?=9019 ?=-\frac{90}{19}

Answer

9019 -\frac{90}{19}