Math Is Fun Forum

Tiger

Member

Registered: 2008-09-10

Posts: 2

New to Algebra

Hello,

I'm new to Algebra and having trouble understanding this formula.

-16 + (-2) + (-1) = ___  + (-1) = _____

I keep comming up with - 19 and - 20 but the book it telling me it's - 18 and - 19.

What am I not seeing?

Ricky

Moderator

Registered: 2005-12-04

Posts: 3,791

Re: New to Algebra

Your book is wrong, you are right.  Either that or you typed the question wrong.

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"In the real world, this would be a problem.  But in mathematics, we can just define a place where this problem doesn't exist.  So we'll go ahead and do that now..."

Chewy

Member

Registered: 2008-08-07

Posts: 67

Re: New to Algebra

I think if you add -16 and -2, you have -18. Then add -1, to get -19.

Ricky, to me it looks like the way it was written down may have been wrong. I say this because it looks to me like they are adding that same -1, but just trying to get the students to add the -16 and -2 first. Just a guess, but that's what it looks like to me.

Last edited by Chewy (2008-09-10 12:02:10)

mathsyperson

Moderator

Registered: 2005-06-22

Posts: 4,900

Re: New to Algebra

I interpret it the way Chewy does. So then the completed line is:

(-16) + (-2) + (-1) = (-18) + (-1) = (-19).

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Why did the vector cross the road?
It wanted to be normal.

Tiger

Member

Registered: 2008-09-10

Posts: 2

Re: New to Algebra

Chewy was correct, thanks for the help.