ACT Math : How to subtract integers

Study concepts, example questions & explanations for ACT Math

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Example Questions

Example Question #1 : How To Subtract Integers

On an airline flight of 250 people there is a choice of pasta, salad, or pizza for dinner. If 113 passengers choose pasta and 30% choose salad, how many passengers choose pizza?

Possible Answers:

62

53

75

100

Correct answer:

62

Explanation:

30% of 250 is 75. Therefore, 250 – 75 – 113 = 62

Example Question #2 : How To Subtract Integers

At a store, a t-shirt costs . If Shane bought  t-shirts and shoes from the store for , how much were the shoes?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

If one shirt costs , then two shirts must cost . The difference of the total and this number is the cost of the the shoes.

Example Question #3 : How To Subtract Integers

 is equivalent to which of the following?

Possible Answers:

Correct answer:

Explanation:

To answer this question, we must remember how to distribute a negative when we are subtracting an entire expression.

To distribute a negative, you change the sign of everything within the expression being subtracted from positive to negative or negative to positive. You then add the resulting expression. So, for this data:

We can then add the like expressions normally (combine  with ,  with , and  with ). Therefore, for this data:

Therefore, our answer is .

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