Rational Number Word Problems - Pre Algebra

1. A football team loses $7$ yards and then gains $4$ yards. What is the net change?

   $-3$ yards. Compute $-7 + 4$.

2. A diver at $-35$ feet rises $12$ feet. What is the diver's new elevation?

   $-23$ feet. Compute $-35 + 12$.

3. An account holds 40 dollars, and 65 dollars is withdrawn. What is the new balance?

   Negative 25 dollars (25 dollars overdrawn). Compute 40 minus 65.

4. The highest point in a park is $1{,}200$ feet and the lowest is $-80$ feet. What is the difference in elevation?

   $1{,}280$ feet. Compute $1200 - (-80)$.

5. A submarine is at $-240$ meters and dives to twice that depth. What is its new elevation?

   $-480$ meters. Compute $2 \times (-240)$.

6. The temperature changes from $-8$ degrees to $5$ degrees. What is the change?

   A rise of $13$ degrees. Compute $5 - (-8)$.

7. The temperature is $-2.5$ degrees C and then drops $4$ degrees. What is the new temperature?

   $-6.5$ degrees C. Compute $-2.5 - 4$.

8. Three friends share a debt of 90 dollars equally. What integer represents each person's share?

   $-30$, meaning each person owes 30 dollars. Compute $-90 \div 3$.

9. The temperature is $-4$ degrees F at 6 a.m. and rises $11$ degrees by noon. What is the noon temperature?

   $7$ degrees F. Compute $-4 + 11$.

10. The temperature drops $1.5$ degrees each hour for $4$ hours. What is the total change in temperature?

    $-6$ degrees. Compute $4 \times (-1.5)$.

11. A baker has $2\frac{1}{2}$ cups of sugar and uses $\frac{3}{4}$ cup. How much sugar is left?

    $1\frac{3}{4}$ cups. Compute $2\frac{2}{4} - \frac{3}{4}$.

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