Sam's credit card balance is less than -$36. Does Sam owe more or less than $36?

2 Answers
Aug 13, 2016

Sam owes more than #$36#.

Explanation:

If Sam's credit card balance is less than #-$36#, then that means the value in his credit card must be less than #-36#. In other words, it should be a number whose value is less than #-36# such as #-37, -38, -39, -40, etc.#

In addition, that means that Sam would owe more than #$36# since the absolute value of a number less than #-36# would be greater than #36#. (e.g.)
http://www.mathematics-monster.com/glossary/absolute_value.html

Thus, with that being said, that is why Sam would owe more than #$36#.

Aug 18, 2016

See explanation.

Explanation:

Tony B

Note that to get from +7 to +3 you move to the left on the number line. So 3 is less than 7. Mathematically written as #3<7#

Suppose the balance was #-$39#.

To get to #-$39# from #-$36# you have to go further from 0 and to the left on the number line.

Also this means that as you are further to the left of #-$36# then #-$39# is less than #-$36#.

So as you are further from 0 you would have to pay back more than #$36# to get back to 0.