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Videos, examples, solutions, worksheets, stories and songs to help Grade 6 students learn how to subtract integers using the number line.
In this lesson, we will learn two methods of subtracting integers using the number line.
Method 1:
One way of using the number line for subtracting integers is to move in the opposite direction
of adding integers.
To add a positive integer, move to the right on the number line.
To add a negative integer, move to the left on the number line.
To subtract a positive integer, move to the left on the number line.
To subtract a negative integer, move to the right on the number line.
Examples:
5 - 2 =
-5 - 2 =
-4 - -7 =
How to think about adding and subtracting integers on a number line?
Use a happy and sad model.
Positive is happy side.
Negative is sad side.
Examples:
(+3) + (+2) =
(+3) + (-2) =
(+3) - (+2) =
(+3) - (-2) =
Subtracting Integers using Number Line (Method 1)
Example:
1. Which direction would you move to?
Add a positive number
Subtract a positive number
Add a negative number
Subtract a negative number
How would we model these problems on the number line?
8 - 10
-6 - -1
3 - -5
Method 2:
To subtract an integer, we can rewrite it as adding the opposite.
For eg.
3 − 2 = 3 + (−2)
3
− (−2) = 3 + (+2)
Then, we use the number line the same way as in
adding integers.
To add a positive integer, move to the right on the number line.
To add a negative integer, move to the left on the number line.
Subtracting Integers using the number line
Example:
-7 - (-2) = -7 + (+2)
Subtracting integers using the number line
(method 2)
Examples:
-6 - 8 =
7 - 12 =
-8 - -5 =
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