Question

How do you simplify `–(–8)`?

Answer 1

`-(-8) = +8`

Explanation:

The negative of a negative is a positive.

Maybe this example will help(???)

Suppose Joe withdraws $8 from his bank account every week (and has done so for years ever since he inherited a substantial sum). This is the only activity that occurs in this account and Joe's bank allows its customers to overdraw their accounts (i.e. have a negative balance).

Suppose that this week Joe's balance had reached zero (`$0`); next week (i.e. in `1` week his balance will be `-8` dollars; in 2 weeks from now, his balance will be `2xx(-8) = -16` dollars; and so on.

The question is what was Joe's bank balance 1 week before now. We are looking at a week that is `-1` relative to now, when his balance was `(-1)xx(-8)` or equivalently `-(-8) = +8` dollars.

Answer 2

This is a bit tricky....

Explanation:

Think of it as a debt...of a debt!
You owe me `$8`, so you come to me to give me `$8` and become poorer or "not have" `$8` which can be written as a "hole" into your wallet of `-8`...BUT I am a good guy and I do not care about the debt I put a minus and tell you: "forget about the debt"...so you go away with `$8`....or `-(-8)=+8` into your wallet.

Hope it is not confusing...!