Need to find the real number.

Someone performed a trade of 20,000 less than it made, this caused a negative trade balance.

To represent the quanity as a real number when I know that a positive real number names the points to the right of 0 on the number line and negative towards the left of 0.
This question seems to lead me to a negative response. Not knowing the orginal ballance confuses me, proberly when it should not.

I'm lost??
I know that when subtracting real numbers signs change and negative numbers become positive, example: a - b = a + (-b)
Therefore, X - 20,000 = X + (-20,000) =

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To find the real number, let's analyze the given information step by step.

1. Someone performed a trade of 20,000 less than it made: This means that the trade had a deficit or negative value of 20,000. Let's represent this as -20,000.

2. This caused a negative trade balance: A negative trade balance means that the outcome of the trade was negative. In other words, the trade resulted in a loss.

3. To represent the quantity as a real number: Real numbers can be positive or negative and are represented on a number line. Positive real numbers are to the right of zero, and negative real numbers are to the left of zero.

4. Since the trade had a negative value and caused a negative trade balance, the quantity can be represented as a negative real number.

Based on the given information and analysis, it can be concluded that the real number representing the trade is -20,000.