Question

How can you add integers in real-world situations?

Answer 1

Adding integers in real-world situations can be found in many contexts, such as finance, inventory management, sports statistics, and daily tasks. Here are a few examples:

1. **Finance and Budgeting:**
- When managing a budget, you might add your expenses. For instance, if you spend $50 on groceries and $30 on a utility bill, you can add those expenses to determine your total spending:
\[ 50 + 30 = 80 \]
This informs you that you’ve spent a total of $80.

2. **Inventory Management:**
- Businesses often track inventory levels. If a store has 200 units of a product and receives a shipment of 50 more, the new inventory level is calculated by adding the two amounts:
\[ 200 + 50 = 250 \]

3. **Sports Scores:**
- In sports, you can add points to determine scores. If a basketball team scores 25 points in the first half and 30 in the second half, you add:
\[ 25 + 30 = 55 \]
This gives you the total score for the game.

4. **Temperature Changes:**
- When measuring temperature changes, you might add integers representing temperature increases or decreases. For example, if the temperature rises from 15°C to 20°C (an increase of 5 degrees), you might add it to a previous temperature:
\[ 15 + 5 = 20 \]

5. **Distance Travelled:**
- When on a road trip, you might add the distances of segments traveled. If you drive 120 miles to a destination and then 80 miles back, you can find the total distance by adding:
\[ 120 + 80 = 200 \]

6. **Collecting Data:**
- In surveys or studies, researchers often sum responses. For instance, if a survey results indicate that 15 people prefer option A and 25 prefer option B, the total number of respondents can be found by adding:
\[ 15 + 25 = 40 \]

7. **Cooking and Recipes:**
- When following a recipe, you might combine measurements. If a recipe calls for 2 cups of flour and you want to double it, you add:
\[ 2 + 2 = 4 \]
This means you need a total of 4 cups of flour.

In each scenario, the conceptual understanding of addition helps in making informed decisions, accurately tracking information, and effectively managing resources.