GED Math Practice Test

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Prepare for the GED Math Test with confidence! Engage in a quiz that includes multiple-choice questions covering key math concepts. Strengthen your mathematical skills and increase your chances of passing the GED with our comprehensive resources.

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

When subtracting numbers with signs, what is the first step?

Change the problem into an addition problem
Line the numbers from largest to smallest
Compare the numbers
Subtract the smaller number from the larger

The correct answer is: Change the problem into an addition problem

The first step in subtracting numbers with signs is to change the problem into an addition problem. This is based on the principle that subtracting a number is the same as adding its opposite. For example, if you need to subtract a positive number, you would add the negative of that number. This makes it easier to handle the signs and perform the calculation accurately. Once the problem has been rewritten as an addition problem, you can more effectively determine the result by considering the signs of the numbers involved. This method also helps clarify the operation you are performing and can prevent mistakes when dealing with negative numbers, as you are directly working with addition. The other options do not effectively address the initial step required when working with signed numbers in subtraction.