(Of course the negative number always has to be below the sigma!)
(-3) + (-2) + (-1) + 0 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 0
[All of the additive inverses cancel each other out & leave you with zero!]
(-7) + (-6) + (-5) + (-4) + (-3) + (-2) + (-1) + 0 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6 + 7 = 0
[All of the additive inverses cancel each other out & leave you with zero!]
(-2) + (-1) + 0 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 0 + 3 = 3
[The additive inverse of 3 was excluded this time, so you had to add 3 to zero, which of course gives you 3]
If you can see her, this character's name is Miss Zero Digit.
(-2) + (-1) + 0 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 = 3 + 4 = 7
[The additive inverses of 3 & 4 were excluded; the positive numbers added up to 7]
If you exclude more than 1 additive inverse, the remaining positive or negative numbers will add up to their respective sums!
(-5) + (-4) + (-3) + (-2) + (-1) + 0 + 1 + 2 + 3 = (-5) + (-4) = -9
[The additive inverses of -5 & -4 were excluded; the negative numbers added up to -9]
If you have more positive integers left, the sum will be positive; if you have more negative integers left, the sum will be negative. In other words, the greater absolute value will reign supreme!
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© Derek Cumberbatch