Which situation can be represented by the expression x plus negative 3? Choose all that apply.

A.An elevator went down 3 floors.

B.A person spent $3.

C.A person added 3 books to the shelf.

D.The temperature dropped 3 degrees.

My Answers are B and C

Yes, that's right. A, B, and D are correct.

One of your answers shows subtraction; the other shows addition. How can that be?

Ms.Sue

I know C shows addition. I wasn't really sure about A,B or D cause they all show subtraction.

Is it right? If not Please explain....

A negative and a positive is a negative.

To determine which situations can be represented by the expression "x plus negative 3," we can break down the expression: "x" represents an unknown number or variable, and "negative 3" indicates subtracting 3 from that unknown number.

Let's analyze each option:

A. An elevator went down 3 floors.
In this situation, the expression "x plus negative 3" does not reflect the concept of descending floors. The use of "plus" suggests addition, not subtraction. Therefore, option A is not applicable.

B. A person spent $3.
This situation can be represented by the expression "x plus negative 3." If we consider "x" as the amount of money a person initially had, adding negative 3 to it represents spending $3. Hence, option B is correct.

C. A person added 3 books to the shelf.
Although the expression "x plus negative 3" could be used to represent this situation mathematically, it may not precisely convey the notion of adding books. It is more appropriate for subtraction scenarios. Thus, option C is not applicable.

D. The temperature dropped 3 degrees.
In this situation, the expression "x plus negative 3" does not fit because it describes adding a negative value, rather than subtracting. When the temperature drops, we subtract a certain number of degrees, not add subtracted degrees. Hence, option D is not applicable.

In conclusion, the situations that can be represented by the expression "x plus negative 3" are B. A person spent $3.

I am confused. Aren't you supposed to do addition. I thought you do subtraction when you are trying to find the sum.