Part of: Miscellaneous Indian Gk set 272

The overnight low temperature in Srinagar was-17$^\circ$F. The overnight low temperature in Shimla was-6$^\circ$F. How much warmer was Shimla than Srinagar?To solve the problem, Manny subtracted-6-(-17) and came up with an answer of-11$^\circ$F. Is Manny correct?

Category: Miscellaneous Indian Gk

Hint: Consider the absolute difference between the temperatures.

Correct Answer: B) No, the answer should have been 11$^circ$F as Shimla was warmer.

Exam Relevance: SAT, ACT, GRE, GMAT

Difficulty: Easy

Explanations:

To understand the problem of finding the temperature difference between Srinagar and Shimla, we need to consider the basic principles of arithmetic operations involving negative numbers. The overnight low temperature in Srinagar was -17$^{\circ}$F, and in Shimla, it was -6$^{\circ}$F. The question asks how much warmer Shimla was compared to Srinagar.

The key concept here is the subtraction of negative numbers. When we subtract a negative number, it is equivalent to adding the positive counterpart of that number. For example, subtracting -17 is the same as adding 17. Therefore, to find the difference in temperature, we need to subtract the temperature of Srinagar from the temperature of Shimla:

Shimla's temperature - Srinagar's temperature = -6 - (-17)

Using the rule of subtracting a negative number, we can rewrite this as:

-6 + 17

Now, we perform the addition:

-6 + 17 = 11

Thus, the temperature difference is 11$^{\circ}$F, indicating that Shimla was 11$^{\circ}$F warmer than Srinagar.

It is important to note that the result is positive, which makes sense because we are looking for how much warmer Shimla was compared to Srinagar. If the result were negative, it would imply that Srinagar was warmer, which contradicts the given temperatures.

Another common mistake is to add the temperatures instead of subtracting them. Adding -17 and -6 would result in a more negative number, which does not provide the temperature difference. Instead, it would give the combined effect of both temperatures, which is not relevant to the problem at hand.

In summary, the correct approach is to subtract the lower temperature from the higher temperature, taking into account the rules of arithmetic with negative numbers. This ensures that we accurately determine the temperature difference and correctly interpret the result in the context of the problem.

Option Analysis:
  • Option A: Incorrect. Manny's calculation of -11$^{\circ}$F is wrong because he subtracted -6 - (-17), which is equivalent to -6 + 17, resulting in 11$^{\circ}$F. The correct answer should be positive, indicating how much warmer Shimla was compared to Srinagar.
  • Option B: Correct. The correct calculation is -6 - (-17), which simplifies to -6 + 17, resulting in 11$^{\circ}$F. This indicates that Shimla was 11$^{\circ}$F warmer than Srinagar.
  • Option C: Incorrect. Adding the temperatures (-17) + (-6) would not give the difference in temperature. Instead, it would result in a more negative value, which does not make sense in the context of finding how much warmer one location is compared to another.
  • Option D: Incorrect. This option is not applicable because Option B correctly identifies the mistake in Manny's calculation and provides the correct answer.

Mnemonic: Cold to Warm: Subtract the colder from the warmer.

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