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Is a negative plus a positive a positive?
If, and only if the positive value is > the negative value.
Does -3x have a positive or negative value?
It depends on what the value of x is. If x is a positive number, then it will be negative because a negative number multiplied by a positive number is negative. If x is a negative number, then it will be positive because the product of two negative numbers is always a positive number.
What are the rules for adding numbers whose signs are different?
Positive plus positive is positive. Negative plus negative is negative. Positive plus negative is positive if the absolute value of the positive number is greater than the absolute value of the negative one. Positive plus negative is negative if the absolute value of the negative number is greater than the absolute value of the positive one.
An absolute value of a number can be positive or negative?
The absolute value is only ever positive. * * * * * Or 0.
Can percent error be negative?
Sometimes you will take the absolute value of the percent error because your estimated number could be less than the theoretical, meaning the calculation is negative. But an absolute value is always positive. A percent error can be left as a negative though, and this would be perfectly acceptable (or even preferred) depending on what you're doing.Answer:In the sciences, a negative percent error indicates a low result. If you have a 0% error, then your observed (lab) result was exactly the same as the theoretical result. A 5% error could mean that your observed result was a little high. A negative percent error is possible; if your observed results were lower than the expected, then you would have a negative percent error. A -5% error could mean that your results were a little low. Having a negative percent error isn't worse than positive percent error -- it could mean the same thing. If you were to have a choice in having a 20% error and a -5% error, the negative percent error is more accurate.
