Sam's credit card balance is less than -$36. Does Sam owe more or less than $36?

2 Answers
Aug 13, 2016

Sam owes more than $36.

Explanation:

If Sam's credit card balance is less than -$36, then that means the value in his credit card must be less than -36. In other words, it should be a number whose value is less than -36 such as -37, -38, -39, -40, etc.

In addition, that means that Sam would owe more than $36 since the absolute value of a number less than -36 would be greater than 36. (e.g.)
http://www.mathematics-monster.com/glossary/absolute_value.htmlhttp://www.mathematics-monster.com/glossary/absolute_value.html

Thus, with that being said, that is why Sam would owe more than $36.

Aug 18, 2016

See explanation.

Explanation:

Tony BTony B

Note that to get from +7 to +3 you move to the left on the number line. So 3 is less than 7. Mathematically written as 3<7

Suppose the balance was -$39.

To get to -$39 from -$36 you have to go further from 0 and to the left on the number line.

Also this means that as you are further to the left of -$36 then -$39 is less than -$36.

So as you are further from 0 you would have to pay back more than $36 to get back to 0.