Question

An object starts at position 12 on a horizontal line with a reference point of 0. What is the position of the object if it moves 14 units to the left?

Answer 1

-2 is the right answer

Answer 2

Answer:

The position of the object is $-2$

Explanation:

I add a picture of the situation in order to explain the question.

We are going to state the ''zero'' on a horizontal line. Then, we are going to state as positive the sense from left to right.

Now, if the object moves 14 units to the left , we need to subtract to the original position 14 units (because it will be a negative move given that the object is moving to the left) ⇒

$12-14=-2$

It new position will be at $-2$.

In general, the first step to solve this kind of exercises is to set a reference system. Then, it is very important to draw the situation.