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Exercises Numbers, fractions and percents

Example 3.8 from Prealgebra, 3.1 Introduction to Integers

Introduction to Integers: example 3.8

Fill in $<, >, or =$ for each of the following:

ⓐ $| −5 |___- | −5 |$
ⓑ $8___- | −8 |$
ⓒ $−9___- | −9 |$
ⓓ $- | −7 |___−7$

Work it out on paper first. Then open the solution one step at a time, and stop as soon as you can finish on your own.

Solution
To compare two expressions, simplify each one first. Then compare.

ⓐ

$| −5 |___- | −5 |$

Simplify. $5___−5$

Order. $5 > −5$

ⓑ

$8___- | −8 |$

Simplify. $8___- 8$

Order. $8 > - 8$

ⓒ

$−9___- | −9 |$

Simplify. $<, >, or = for each of the following:$

Order. $−9 = −9$

ⓓ

$- | −7 |___−7$

Simplify. $−7___- 7$

Order. $−7 = - 7$

Your turn

The book's Try It right after this example: same idea, new numbers. Only the answer is given.

Fill in $<, >, or = for each of the following:$

ⓐ $| −9 |___- | −9 |$
ⓑ $2___- | −2 |$
ⓒ $−8___| −8 |$
ⓓ $- | −5 |___−5$

How did it go?

PreviousIntroduction to Integers: example 3.7 Next Introduction to Integers: example 3.9

From Prealgebra (1st edition) by OpenStax (Rice University), section 3.1, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Original at openstax.org. We split the solution into steps; the words, numbers and figures are the book's. OpenStax doesn't endorse this site.