What is the sum of a positive integer and a negative integer?

Answer 1

This depends on the relative magnitudes of the integers. The magnitude is the value of the number (without the sign). Or another way to look at it is how far away from zero is it. So if the positive integer has a greater magnitude, the sum will be positive. If the negative integer has the greater magnitude, then the sum is negative.

Say, for example, your car is parked at the Equator (call this zero). Now drive 5 miles in the North (positive) direction. Now turn around and drive 4 miles in the South (negative) direction. You end up 1 mile North of the Equator, which is positive.

If you start again driving 5 miles North, then drive 8 miles South, you end up 3 miles South of the equator (negative).

Note that it doesn't matter which one you do first (if you drive 8 miles South first, then 5 miles North, you're still ending at 3 miles South of the Equator). This demonstrates the Commutative Property of Addition (the order can be rearranged and get the same answer).

Answer 2

The sum will take on the sign of whichever number has the higher absolute value. If the absolute values are the same, the sum is zero.

Answer 3

It will take the sign of the number with the higher absolute value.

Answer 4

The sum can be either positive or negative, depending on

which of the original numbers is the bigger one.

Answer 5

It can be any integer - positive, negative, or zero. Examples:

4 + (-5) = -1

5 + (-4) = 1

4 + (-4) = 0

Answer 6

The sum will take on the sign of whichever number has the higherabsolute value. If the absolute values are the same, the sum iszero.

Answer 7

The sum will take on the sign of whichever number has the higherabsolute value. If the absolute values are the same, the sum iszero.

Answer 8

The sum will take on the sign of whichever number has the higherabsolute value. If the absolute values are the same, the sum iszero.

Answer 9

positive