Question

Use the chips to add.

(a) Show how to do the problem. Click here to learn more about these chips.

-5+2
Chip Bank
+ -
+
_

Answer 1

To solve the problem \(-5 + 2\) using chips, you can represent positive and negative values with different colored chips. For this example, let's use:

- Red chips to represent negative numbers (-1 each).
- Yellow chips to represent positive numbers (+1 each).

Here's how you can set it up:

### Step 1: Represent \(-5\) and \(+2\) Using Chips

1. **For -5:** Place 5 red chips on the table.
2. **For +2:** Place 2 yellow chips on the table.

### Step 2: Combine the Chips

Now you have:
- 5 red chips (representing -5)
- 2 yellow chips (representing +2)

### Step 3: Pair the Chips

The next step is to pair the chips:
- Each yellow chip can cancel out one red chip.

You have 2 yellow chips and 5 red chips. When you pair them:
- Use the 2 yellow chips to cancel out 2 of the 5 red chips.

### Step 4: Count the Remaining Chips

After canceling, you are left with:
- \(5 - 2 = 3\) remaining red chips.

### Final Calculation

Since you have 3 red chips left (each representing -1), the final result is:
\[
-3
\]

### Conclusion

Thus, \(-5 + 2 = -3\).

You can visually represent this with the chips as below:

```
Red Chips (-1): R R R R R
Yellow Chips (+1): Y Y
-------------------------
Remaining Red Chips (-3): R R R
```

This clearly shows the process using chips to arrive at the solution \( -5 + 2 = -3 \).