Unit 1: Integers

Subtracting Integers can be tough; however, the trick is to make the subtraction problem into an addition problem!

5- -6 = ______ Can be rewritten as 5+6= ______

5- 6 = ______

Can be rewritten as

Can be rewritten as

Can be rewritten as 5 + -6= ______

-5 + -6 = ______-5 - 6= ______

-5 - -6= ______ -5 + 6= ______

Whenever you subtract, it’s the same as adding the opposite.

3 -2 = ____

Whenever you subtract by a positive number, it’s the same as adding a negative number.

-3 - 2 = ____

3 + -2 = ____

-3 + -2 = ____

Whenever you have two negatives next to each other, make them both positive!

3 - -2 = ____

-3 - -2 = ____

3 +2 = ____

-3 +2 = ____

That’s it! Here are some more practice problems to try…

-10 - 8 = ____

5 - -7 = ____

-7 - -10 = ____

-6 - 4 = ____

8 - 10 = ____4 - -10 = ____

-5 - -5 = ____

-5 - 5 = ____

-18

12

3

-10

-2

14

0

-10

Still having trouble? Look at these four subtraction problems:

5 – 3 = ____ This can be re-written as: 5 + -3 =____ So the answer is 2.

-5 - -3 = ___ This can be re-written as: -5 + 3 = ___ So the answer is -2.

5- -3 = ___ This can be re-written as: 5 +3 = ___ So the answer is 8.

-5 - 3 = ___ This can be re-written as: -5 + -3 = ___ So the answer is -8.

These are the only 4 types of subtraction problems you will ever see!

5 - 3 = 2

For a problem like this, you can either draw a number line or watch this little demo:

1

2

3

5

0

4

-1

First, you go up 5

Then, you go down 3

-5 - 3 = -8

For a problem like this, you can either draw a number line or watch this little demo:

-4

-3

-2

0

-5

-1

-6

Starting from zero, we go down to negative 5.

Then, since we are subtracting, we go down 3 more.

-7-8-9

So, we end at -8.

Notice, we started with a negative, and subtracting a positive just gave us a bigger negative!

I hope this helps! Just remember:

A subtraction problem can always be written as an addition problem (change the minus sign to a plus and take the opposite of the next number)!

If you minus a negative, you can turn both of those into positive signs!

This has been a Rockin’ Presentation by:

Mr. Lattyak