- AThey are equal, and both come to 10.
- BThey are equal, and both come to 4.
- C|−7 + 3| = 4 while |−7| + |3| = 10, so they are not equal.
- D|−7 + 3| = −4, so it is the smaller of the two.
Step-by-Step Solution
Bars act as brackets, so work inside them first: −7 + 3 = −4 and |−4| = 4. But |−7| + |3| strips each sign separately, giving 7 + 3 = 10. The two are different — you may not drop the minus signs before adding. And |−4| can never be −4, since an absolute value is never negative.
Answer: C) |−7 + 3| = 4 while |−7| + |3| = 10, so they are not equal.