If you know that a < b, and both a and b are positive numbers, then what must be true about the relationship between the opposites of these numbers? Explain.

Answer:

If a -b. On a number line, a is closer to zero than b. Their opposites, -a and -b, will be on the negative side of the number line. Since -a is closer to zero than -b on the negative side, -a is further to the right, making it the greater value.