Inverse Property of Addition

Use the Inverse Properties of Addition and Multiplication

Notice that in each case, the missing number was the opposite of the number.

We call $-a$ the additive inverse of $a$. The opposite of a number is its additive inverse. A number and its opposite add to $0$, which is the additive identity.

Source: Rice University, https://openstax.org/books/prealgebra/pages/7-4-properties-of-identity-inverses-and-zero
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

EXAMPLE 7.34

Find the additive inverse of each expression: (a) $13$

(b) $-\frac {5}{8}$

(c) $0.6$

TRY IT 7.67

Find the additive inverse:

(a) $18$

(b) $\frac {7}{9}$

(c) $1.2$

TRY IT 7.68

Find the additive inverse:

(a) $47$

(b) $\frac {7}{13}$

(c) $8.4$

Example 7.34

To find the additive inverse, we find the opposite.

(a) The additive inverse of $13$ is its opposite, $-13$.

(b) The additive inverse of $-\frac{5}{8}$ is its opposite, $\frac{5}{8}$.

(c) The additive inverse of $0.6$ is its opposite, $-0.6$.

Try It 7.67

(a) $-18$

(b) $-\frac{7}{9}$

(c) $-1.2$

Try It 7.68

(a) $-47$

(b) $-\frac{7}{13}$

(c) $-8.4$