We took our first math test last week. The test was on adding, subtracting, multiplying and diving negative numbers. The test was also on combining like terms. I think that our first test was pretty easy, adding and subtracting negative numbers was the easiest part.

When adding two negative numbers, it will equal a negative number. That’s the same with positive numbers but everyone already knows that because we learned it in first grade. When you subtract, it depends on which number is the largest. If the negative number is larger, the answer will be negative. If the larger number is positive, the answer will be positive. When multiplying or dividing two negative numbers, it will equal a positive number. When multiplying or dividing two positive numbers, it equals a positive. When you multiply or divide a negative number and a positive number, it will equal a negative number.

Example- -7+-5= -12

                   9*-3= -27

Combining like terms is very simple. All you have to do is basically simplify the problem by adding the numbers that are alike.

Example- 5y+7x-12+13y= 18y+7x-12

                 -12y-5y+6+17= -17y+23