Question

help me combine like terms. like how do you do it with different signs in the problem.

17 + 4w - 12 - w

Answer 1

17 -12 is a subtraction problem
4w -w is a subtraction problem.

Answer 2

so lets say i had 4w-8-1w

i take 4w+1w= 5w

then i have -8 left and i do

5w-8

Answer 3

4w-8-1w

Why did you change the problem from -1w to + 1w?

4w - 1w = 3w

4w-8-1w = 3w - 8

Answer 4

it was not negative that was a subtraction sign

Answer 5

Then why didn't you subtract 1w from 4w?

Answer 6

Negative signs and subtraction signs are really the same thing.

You can write -8 - 6

negative 8 subtract 6

which is the same thing as writing

-8 + -6
negative eight plus negative 6.

In both cases, you get a -14 as the answer.

Answer 7

17+4w-12-w
=17-12+4w-w
=5+3w
...and yes "plus a negative" is exactly the same as minus.