1Cademy - Evaluating $$-23.5

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Procedure for Adding or Subtracting Decimals

Example

Evaluating $-23.5 - 41.38$

To evaluate the expression $-23.5 - 41.38$ , first determine the sign. Since both numbers are negative, the final difference will be negative, and the operation is equivalent to adding their numerals ( $23.5 + 41.38$ ). Write the numbers with vertically aligned decimal points, appending a placeholder zero so $23.5$ becomes $23.50$ . Add the numbers as if they were whole numbers ( $23.50 + 41.38 = 64.88$ ). Finally, place the decimal point in the sum and write the result with a negative sign. Therefore, $-23.5 - 41.38 = -64.88$ .

Updated 2026-05-02

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OpenStax Intermediate Algebra

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