Question

For (7 + (-2)):

Start with 7 positive tiles and 2 negative tiles.
Create 2 zero pairs (each pair consisting of one positive and one negative tile).
After removing the zero pairs, 5 positive tiles remain.
So, (7 + (-2) = 5).

Answer 1

Your explanation of (7 + (-2)) using tiles is clear and accurate. Let's break it down step by step:

1. **Start with the initial tiles**: You have 7 positive tiles and 2 negative tiles. This represents the expression \(7 + (-2)\).

2. **Create zero pairs**: A zero pair consists of one positive tile and one negative tile. You can pair 2 positive tiles with 2 negative tiles to create 2 zero pairs.

3. **Remove the zero pairs**: By removing these 2 zero pairs from your collection, you will eliminate the negative tiles and 2 of the positive tiles. After this step, you have:
- 7 positive tiles - 2 positive tiles (used in pairs) = 5 positive tiles remaining.

4. **Conclusion**: After removing the zero pairs, you have 5 positive tiles left. Therefore:
\[
7 + (-2) = 5
\]

This method visually and conceptually illustrates how addition works with positive and negative numbers. Well done!