Calculate -56 – (-40) and check the commutative property under subtraction
+2094 This will be -56+40, which is -16
---Recheck---
Commutative Property: 40-56=-16
So, we know our work is correct!
+934 Using the commutative property, you would get (-40) - (-56)= (-40)+56= 16 proving that the commutative property does NOT work for subtraction.
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Edit:
You didn't use the commutative property correctly...
+934 The two numbers are -56 and -40, when using a property you don't simplify -(-40) to 40 because that changes your proof.
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Edit:
Based on what you're saying, one might confuse that you just proved that the commutative property works for subtraction when in fact it doesn't.
+2094 Oh...
But I'm still not convinced about there being no solutions?
How about -(-40)-56
+934 I'm not saying there are no solutions... You said
"Commutative Property: 40-56=-16
So, we know our work is correct!"
You can't use the commutative property to show that your work is correct for subtraction. 40-56= -16 is correct, but that isn't the commutative property which I think is the source of our confusion.
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+2094 Yeah. I say we get CPhill or someone.
I just looked at the check the commutative property under subtraction part of the question.
+934 Let me clear this up... the commutative property is a+b=b+a this only works for addition and multiplication.
In the problem, we'll call -56, a, and -40, b. a-b= -56 - (-40)= -56+40= -16; b-a= -40 - (-56)= -40 + 56= 16. This shows that a-b does not equal b-a.
+2094 That's very true.
I wonder why the question said check it under subtraction...
+934 This problem was meant to show the person that the commutative property doesn't work for subtraction. If they check it themselves then they would understand it better.
+934 Yeah! No problem...sorry if it seemed like I was being rude or anything...
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+934 -56 - (-40)= -56+40= -16. The commutative property states that a+b=b+a. The commutative property does NOT work for subtraction because a-b doesn't equal b-a.
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