HELP on math homework, seriously!?

Question

Help me....

Write a story problem for this situation. Find the value represented by the chips on the board.

Black chips=positive #

Red chips-negative #

On the board there are 5 black, and 8 reds.

I don't under stand it, do they want you to, write the story, that comes out like the board, or do they want you to use the number of chips given to you?

This is my story problem so far(tell me if it's right/help me to write it): JunSu borrowed 8 dollars from JaeJong. The next day he received back his 5 dollars from Yunho.

Then the next question using the same number of chips on the same board:

Describe three different ways to change the numbers of black and red chis, but leave the value of the board unchanged.

What I've got: Add 2 red and 2 blacks

I need 2 more!

This I'm totally blanked out:

Find the values for A and B that make each mathematical sentence true.

+a + -b= -1

-a + +b= 0

-a - -b= -2

HHHHHHEEEEELLLLLPPPP!!!!!

Answer 1

seems like a good enough story to me.

Red = negative from JaeJong

Black = positive for JaeJong

Equalizing 5 black and 8 red three ways:

1) Add 3 black  (8 and 8)

2) Remove 3 red (5 and 5)

3) Some combined move:  add 5 black and 2 red (10 and 10)

Simplify these by using - - = +  (subtracting a negative = adding a positive)

a - b = -1   : a = 3, b = 4 works (anything else with b = a + 1 too)

-a + b = 0  : for this one a = b

-a + b = -2 : yes -3 + 1 = -2 you made a correct choice

this becomes b = a - 2, so a = 3, b = 1 works

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