Question

Compute 3- 7. A. -10 B. -4 C. 4 D. 10

Short answer

B. -4

Step-by-step solution

- Identify the Operation

Determine which mathematical operation needs to be performed. In this case, you need to perform a subtraction: 3 - 7.

- Perform the Subtraction

Subtract 7 from 3. When subtracting a larger number from a smaller number, the result will be negative: 3 - 7 = -4.

- Select the Correct Answer

Compare the result with the given choices: A. -10, B. -4, C. 4, D. 10. The correct answer is B. -4.

Key concepts

negative numbers

Negative numbers are numbers less than zero and are represented with a minus sign (-). When dealing with subtraction, especially involving negative numbers, it's important to understand that subtracting a larger number from a smaller one results in a negative number.
For example, in the exercise, we subtracted 7 from 3. Since 7 is greater than 3, the result is negative. This gives us -4 as the difference. This principle applies universally in math: anytime you subtract a bigger number from a smaller one, the result will be negative.
Understanding negative numbers is crucial in many areas of math, making it easier to solve problems accurately.

basic arithmetic

Basic arithmetic involves the fundamental operations of math: addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. Subtraction is one of the core operations and is useful in many everyday situations.
In this exercise, we used subtraction to determine the result of 3 - 7. Subtraction often involves finding the difference between two numbers.
Here, you identify the numbers you want to subtract, perform the operation, and find the result. Practicing basic arithmetic helps build a strong foundation and makes dealing with more complex problems easier.

mathematical operations

Mathematical operations are processes used to perform calculations. They include addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division. These operations help us solve a range of problems from simple to complex.
In the given exercise, we focused on subtraction, specifically 3 - 7. The subtraction operation requires you to subtract the second number from the first. Because 7 is larger than 3, the result is a negative number: -4. This shows how understanding operations helps you handle numbers of all kinds, be they positive or negative.

• Addition: Combining numbers to get a sum
• Subtraction: Finding the difference between numbers
• Multiplication: Finding the product of numbers
• Division: Splitting numbers into equal parts

Learning these operations is essential for solving various math problems.