Let’s start at 0 yards. If the team gained 8 yards, that would be 0+8 (so, just 8 yards). They lost 12 on the next play, so that would be 0+8-12, which is equal to -4 yards. We need to get back to 0 yards, so we can make an equation:
x-4=0
We know that 4 - 4 equals 0, so the answer would be 4 yards.
Alright, so let's say the football team was at the 50 yard line. They gained 8 yards on the first play when throwing a ball. That means for the second play, they are at 58 yards. On the second play, they lost 12 yards, so we should subtract 12 to get out final answer. 58-12=46. That means they must gain another 4 yards to get to their original starting position at 50 yards.
Answer: They need to gain another 4 yards to reach their original position.
