Question

In a game, players can move forward or backward on a number line. If a player moves forward 8 spaces and
then backward 12 spaces, which expression represents their final position relative to the starting point?
A. 8 − 12
C. −8 + 12
B. 12 − 8
D. −12 + 8

Answer 1

To determine the final position of a player who moves forward 8 spaces and then backward 12 spaces, we can break down the movement like this:

1. Moving forward 8 spaces is represented by +8.
2. Moving backward 12 spaces is represented by -12.

To find the final position relative to the starting point, we combine these two movements:

Final Position = Starting Position + Forward Movement + Backward Movement

Since we are looking for the final position relative to the starting point, we can express this as:

Final Position = 0 + 8 - 12,
which simplifies to:
Final Position = 8 - 12.

Thus, the correct answer is:

A. 8 − 12