Math

Math is the process of calculating with numbers. There are four basic functions, which are: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Addition is the mathmatical process of putting things together. It uses the plus symbol (+). Addition is both commutative and associative.

In addition, there are three different ways to add integers. When there is a positive number being added to another positive number, you must add the absolute values, and the sum is positive.

When it is a negative with another negative, you add the absolute values and the sum is negative.

When it is a negative with a positive or a positive plus a negative, you must first subtract the absolute values. Then, whichever number's absolute value is the largest will give the sum's symbol. For example, if the problem was -5+3, you would first subtract 5 and 3, which would be 2. Then, since -5 has the largest absolute value, the answer would become -2.

Subtraction is the inverse of addition, meaning that if we start with any number and add any number and then subtract the same number we added, we return to the number we started with. Subtraction uses a minus sign (-).

In subtraction, there are two different ways to subtract numbers. The easiest way to subtract numbers is if the problem is with positive numbers, and the first number is bigger than the second (i.e. 5-3). However, if it is not, then you must do the following:

1. Keep the first number the same.

2. Change the subtraction to addition (- to +).

3. Change the second number to the opposite number (-3 to 3 or 5 to -5).

4. Solve as addition.

Multiplication is the mathematical operation of scaling one number by another. It uses the times symbol (x). It is most useful when you must add the same number over and over (i.e. 4+4+4=12 becomes 4x3=12). The following are the rules of multiplication:

If it is two numbers of the same type (i.e. 5x7 or -3x(-8)), you multiply the absolute values and the answer is positive.

If it is two numbers of different types (-5x7 or -3x8), you multiply the absolute values and the answer is negative.

Division (÷) is an arithmetic operation which is the inverse (opposite) of multiplication. For example, if 3x5 is 15, then 15 divided by 3 would be 4. Occasionally, sometimes you cannot get a number to be divided evenly by another. For example, 15 cannot be evenly divided by 6. In that case, you would find the closest multiple to the number you want to divide (which, in this case, is 12). Then you multiply 6 by 2 to get 12, and subtract 12 from 15. 15-12=3. Since 3 is not divisible by 6, 3 becomes the remainder. Thus, the answer is 2 R. 3; the "R" standing for remainder.

Alternately, you can also make the remainder a fraction by taking the divisor (6) and putting it as the denominator, while making the remainder (3) the numerator. The answer would then be 3/6, or 1/2.