Subtract positive and negative whole numbers

Answer Key - Grade 7 Math Worksheet - Challenge Me

Circle the best answer, or write your answer on the line.

1. 1.

   Esme writes a three-number puzzle on the whiteboard. What is (-12) - 7 - (-9)?

   -10
2. 2.

   Jun draws a long puzzle card from the jar. What is 15 - (-8) - 22?

   1
3. 3.

   Noah fills in a balance puzzle: 6 - ? = (-5). What is the missing number?

   11
4. 4.

   Ren fills in a balance puzzle: (-7) - ? = 2. What is the missing number?

   -9
5. 5.

   Bo's boat sails from 2 to 18 on a number line river, then from -11 to -4 on the way back. How many more spaces is the first trip?

   9
6. 6.

   Esme's turtle swims from -15 to 8 before lunch and from 5 to 21 after lunch (in meters, up is positive). How many more meters was the first swim?

   7
7. 7.

   Jun's kite was 14 m up at 2 p.m. and 6 m up at 3 p.m. Later minus earlier gives 6 - 14 = -8. What does the -8 tell us?

   • The kite is 8 m below the ground.
   • The kite did not move.
   • The kite went up 8 m.
   • The kite went down 8 m.
8. 8.

   At 6 a.m. Kira's thermometer read 3°F. At noon it read -8°F. Later minus earlier gives (-8) - 3 = -11. What does the -11 tell us?

   • The temperature stayed the same.
   • The temperature fell 11 degrees.
   • The temperature rose 11 degrees.
   • The temperature is -11°F at noon.
9. 9.

   Luz's quiz team had 9 points, then 2 points after a hard round. Later minus earlier gives 2 - 9 = -7. What does the -7 tell us?

   • The team lost 7 points.
   • The team has -7 points.
   • The team gained 7 points.
   • The team's score did not change.
10. 10.

    Milo watches a whale at -10 m, then at -3 m. Later minus earlier gives (-3) - (-10) = 7. What does the 7 tell us?

    • The whale is 7 m above the surface.
    • The whale swam down 7 m.
    • The whale swam up 7 m.
    • The whale did not move.