Determine the Sign: Finding the Sum of Positive 'a' and Negative 'b'

a is a positive number.

b is a negative number.

What kind of number is the sum of b and a?

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1

Understand the problem

a is a positive number.

b is a negative number.

What kind of number is the sum of b and a?

2

Step-by-step solution

We will illustrate with an example:

Let's assume that a is 1 and b is -2

1+ (-2) =
1-2 = -1

Answer: Negative

Now let's assume that a is 2

and b is -1

2+(-1) =
2-1 = 1

Even though the operation is negative, the number remains positive.

That is, if the absolute value of the positive number (a) is greater than that of the negative (b), the result will still be positive.

As we do not have data regarding this information, it is impossible to know what the sum of a+b will be.

3

Final Answer

.Impossible to know.

Practice Quiz

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What will be the sign of the result of the next exercise?

\( (-2)\cdot(-4)= \)

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