Question

to subtract integers you add the opposite of the second integer. subtract the opposite. just add them like they are. add the negative of the positive.

Explanation:

To determine the correct method for subtracting integers, we recall the rule: To subtract an integer, we add the opposite (or the negative) of the subtrahend. For example, if we have \(a - b\), this is equivalent to \(a+(-b)\), where \(-b\) is the opposite (or negative) of \(b\).

Let's analyze the options:

• "add the opposite of the second integer": This matches the rule. For \(a - b\), we add \(-b\) (the opposite of \(b\)) to \(a\), so \(a+(-b)\).
• "subtract the opposite": This is incorrect. Subtracting the opposite would be \(a-(-b)=a + b\), which is not the standard subtraction rule.
• "just add them like they are": This is incorrect. Subtraction of integers is not the same as adding them as they are; we need to account for the sign of the subtrahend.
• "add the negative of the positive": This is too specific (it only considers positive subtrahends) and not the general rule for subtracting any two integers.

Answer:

add the opposite of the second integer