Printable worksheet for practicing negative number addition and subtraction.

Let's solve each section of the worksheet step by step and explain the reasoning behind each answer. This worksheet focuses on adding and subtracting negative numbers, which is a foundational concept in mathematics.

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🔢 Section A: Basic Addition and Subtraction

1) $ 2 - 7 = ? $
Think: Start at 2, move 7 steps left → $ -5 $
✔ Answer: -5

2) $ -4 + 8 = ? $
Think: Start at -4, move 8 steps right → $ 4 $
✔ Answer: 4

3) $ -2 + 12 = ? $
Think: Start at -2, move 12 steps right → $ 10 $
✔ Answer: 10

4) $ -7 - 4 = ? $
Think: Start at -7, move 4 steps left → $ -11 $
✔ Answer: -11

5) $ 9 - 10 = ? $
Think: Start at 9, move 10 steps left → $ -1 $
✔ Answer: -1

6) $ -7 + 4 = ? $
Think: Start at -7, move 4 steps right → $ -3 $
✔ Answer: -3

7) $ -8 - 11 = ? $
Think: Start at -8, move 11 steps left → $ -19 $
✔ Answer: -19

8) $ -15 + 1 = ? $
Think: Start at -15, move 1 step right → $ -14 $
✔ Answer: -14

9) $ -12 + 14 = ? $
Think: Start at -12, move 14 steps right → $ 2 $
✔ Answer: 2

10) $ -10 + 23 = ? $
Think: Start at -10, move 23 steps right → $ 13 $
✔ Answer: 13

11) $ -8 - 11 = ? $
Same as #7 → $ -19 $
✔ Answer: -19

12) $ -12 - 17 = ? $
Start at -12, move 17 left → $ -29 $
✔ Answer: -29

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🔢 Section B: More Practice with Negatives

1) $ 2 + 6 = ? $
Simple addition: $ 8 $
✔ Answer: 8

2) $ -9 - 4 = ? $
Start at -9, go 4 left → $ -13 $
✔ Answer: -13

3) $ 4 + 3 = ? $
$ 7 $
✔ Answer: 7

4) $ 3 - 8 = ? $
Start at 3, go 8 left → $ -5 $
✔ Answer: -5

5) $ -2 + 4 = ? $
Start at -2, go 4 right → $ 2 $
✔ Answer: 2

6) $ -5 - 5 = ? $
Start at -5, go 5 left → $ -10 $
✔ Answer: -10

7) $ 3 - 4 = ? $
Start at 3, go 4 left → $ -1 $
✔ Answer: -1

8) $ 8 - 5 = ? $
$ 3 $
✔ Answer: 3

9) $ 10 - 6 = ? $
$ 4 $
✔ Answer: 4

10) $ -7 - 3 = ? $
Start at -7, go 3 left → $ -10 $
✔ Answer: -10

11) $ -1 - 3 = ? $
Start at -1, go 3 left → $ -4 $
✔ Answer: -4

12) $ -6 - 2 = ? $
Start at -6, go 2 left → $ -8 $
✔ Answer: -8

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🔢 Section C: Larger Numbers & Mixed Signs

1) $ -8 - 12 = ? $
$ -20 $
✔ Answer: -20

2) $ -8 + 10 = ? $
Start at -8, go 10 right → $ 2 $
✔ Answer: 2

3) $ -15 - 7 = ? $
Start at -15, go 7 left → $ -22 $
✔ Answer: -22

4) $ 27 + 5 = ? $
$ 32 $
✔ Answer: 32

5) $ -17 - 3 = ? $
Start at -17, go 3 left → $ -20 $
✔ Answer: -20

6) $ -3 - 14 = ? $
Start at -3, go 14 left → $ -17 $
✔ Answer: -17

7) $ -17 + 9 = ? $
Start at -17, go 9 right → $ -8 $
✔ Answer: -8

8) $ -8 + 19 = ? $
Start at -8, go 19 right → $ 11 $
✔ Answer: 11

9) $ -54 + 24 = ? $
Start at -54, go 24 right → $ -30 $
✔ Answer: -30

10) $ -10 - 8 = ? $
Start at -10, go 8 left → $ -18 $
✔ Answer: -18

11) $ 9 - (-20) = ? $
Subtracting a negative is like adding:
$ 9 + 20 = 29 $
✔ Answer: 29

12) $ -18 - 33 = ? $
Start at -18, go 33 left → $ -51 $
✔ Answer: -51

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🔢 Section D: Multi-step Problems & Parentheses

1) $ 7 - 12 - 4 = ? $
Step-by-step:
$ 7 - 12 = -5 $
$ -5 - 4 = -9 $
✔ Answer: -9

2) $ -5 - 4 + 2 = ? $
$ -5 - 4 = -9 $
$ -9 + 2 = -7 $
✔ Answer: -7

3) $ 4 - 6 - 7 = ? $
$ 4 - 6 = -2 $
$ -2 - 7 = -9 $
✔ Answer: -9

4) $ -3 - 9 + 9 = ? $
$ -3 - 9 = -12 $
$ -12 + 9 = -3 $
✔ Answer: -3

5) $ 18 + 3 - 4 = ? $
$ 18 + 3 = 21 $
$ 21 - 4 = 17 $
✔ Answer: 17

6) $ 2 + (5 - 3) = ? $
First do inside parentheses: $ 5 - 3 = 2 $
Then: $ 2 + 2 = 4 $
✔ Answer: 4

7) $ -11 + (-8 - 2) = ? $
Inside: $ -8 - 2 = -10 $
Then: $ -11 + (-10) = -21 $
✔ Answer: -21

8) $ 7 - (2 - 6) = ? $
Inside: $ 2 - 6 = -4 $
Then: $ 7 - (-4) = 7 + 4 = 11 $
✔ Answer: 11

9) $ (4 + 2) + (4 - 9) = ? $
$ 4 + 2 = 6 $
$ 4 - 9 = -5 $
$ 6 + (-5) = 1 $
✔ Answer: 1

10) $ 3 - ((-1 + 5) - 12) = ? $
Step-by-step:
Innermost: $ -1 + 5 = 4 $
Then: $ 4 - 12 = -8 $
Then: $ 3 - (-8) = 3 + 8 = 11 $
✔ Answer: 11

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✔ Final Answers Summary:

#### Section A
1. -5
2. 4
3. 10
4. -11
5. -1
6. -3
7. -19
8. -14
9. 2
10. 13
11. -19
12. -29

#### Section B
1. 8
2. -13
3. 7
4. -5
5. 2
6. -10
7. -1
8. 3
9. 4
10. -10
11. -4
12. -8

#### Section C
1. -20
2. 2
3. -22
4. 32
5. -20
6. -17
7. -8
8. 11
9. -30
10. -18
11. 29
12. -51

#### Section D
1. -9
2. -7
3. -9
4. -3
5. 17
6. 4
7. -21
8. 11
9. 1
10. 11

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📌 Key Concepts Explained:

- Adding a negative is the same as subtracting: $ a + (-b) = a - b $
- Subtracting a negative is the same as adding: $ a - (-b) = a + b $
- When adding or subtracting negative numbers, think of it as moving on a number line:
- Positive → right
- Negative → left
- Always simplify expressions inside parentheses first.
- Combine step by step when multiple operations are involved.

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