Question

Is the difference between a positive mixed number and a negative mixed number always, sometimes, or never positive?

Answer 1

Ok It depends upon what the order of the terms might be

 

If we consider that the positive mixed number is the first term and the negative mixed number is the second term and we consider "difference" to be subtraction.....then the result is positive

 

For example

(3 + 1/2) -  [ -(1 + 1/2)] =

 

(3 +1/2) + (1 + 1/2) = 5   since subtracting a negative results in a positve

 

But....if we had the reverse order with the same operation, we would have

 

-(1 + 1/2) - (3 + 1/2)   and the result is - 5

 

Hence.......I would go with "sometimes"