Example

Finding the Anchorage Temperature Difference

Applying the strategy for finding temperature differences, consider the temperature in Anchorage, Alaska. In the morning, it was 1515 degrees, and by mid-afternoon, it had dropped to 3030 degrees below zero (represented as 30-30). To find the difference between the morning and afternoon temperatures, write the phrase 'the difference of 1515 and 30-30.' Translate this into the mathematical expression 15(30)15 - (-30). Since subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive one, the expression simplifies to 15+30=4515 + 30 = 45. Therefore, the difference in temperatures was 4545 degrees.

0

1

Updated 2026-04-21

Contributors are:

Who are from:

Tags

OpenStax

Intermediate Algebra @ OpenStax

Ch.1 Foundations - Intermediate Algebra @ OpenStax

Algebra

Related