Question

What is `3 - (-3) + (-2) - 1`?

Answer 1

`3`

Explanation:

Given
`color(white)("XXX")3-(-3)+(-2)-1`

Working from left to right.
Remember that subtracting a negative is the same as adding a positive
`color(white)("XXX")color(blue)(3-(-3))+(-2)-1=color(blue)(3+3)+(-2)-1`
`color(white)("XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX")=color(blue)(6)+(-2)-1`

Also that adding a negative is the same as subtracting a positive
`color(white)("XXX")color(blue)(6+(-2))-1=color(blue)(6-2)-1`
`color(white)("XXXXXXXXXXX")=color(blue)(4)-1`

And finally
`color(white)("XXX")color(blue)(4-1) = color(blue)(3)`