Making a Plan to Simplify an Expression Foster’s answer to the question he wrote for Ranger was 7x + (–3), whi

Question

Making a Plan to Simplify an Expression
Foster’s answer to the question he wrote for Ranger was 7x + (–3), while Ranger’s answer was 7x – 3. They both checked their work by letting x = 5, and they both claim to be correct. Are they both correct? Explain.

GPT-5 mini · Answer

Yes — they are the same. Adding a negative number is the same as subtracting that number, so

7x + (−3) = 7x − 3.

If x = 5, both give 7·5 + (−3) = 35 − 3 = 32, so both checks are correct. The parentheses only emphasize the negative sign; they don't change the value.

Making a Plan to Simplify an Expression
Foster’s answer to the question he wrote for Ranger was 7x + (–3), while Ranger’s answer was 7x – 3. They both checked their work by letting x = 5, and they both claim to be correct. Are they both correct? Explain.

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Making a Plan to Simplify an Expression Foster’s answer to the question he wrote for Ranger was 7x + (–3), while Ranger’s answer was 7x – 3. They both checked their work by letting x = 5, and they both claim to be correct. Are they both correct? Explain.

All Answers 1

Submit Your Answer

Making a Plan to Simplify an Expression
Foster’s answer to the question he wrote for Ranger was 7x + (–3), while Ranger’s answer was 7x – 3. They both checked their work by letting x = 5, and they both claim to be correct. Are they both correct? Explain.