The student will:

demonstrate concretely and pictorially that the sum of opposite integers is zero.
+

=0

Sum of Opposite Integers

Explanation
1 + -1 = 0 The positive tile cancels the
negative tile.
2 + -2 = 0 The 2 positive tiles cancel the 2
negative tiles.
3 + -3 = 0 The 3 positive tiles cancel the 3
negative tiles.
6 + -6 = 0 The 6 positive tiles cancel the 6
negative tiles.
12 + -12 = 0 The 12 positive tiles cancel
the 12 negative tiles.

Add the following opposite integers to see if the sum is equal to zero:
Opposite Integers

Method

4, -4

-12, 12

12

55, -55

55

-111, 111

111

331, -331

331

-501, 501

501

4
12

0
0

55
111
331

Rules for Ordering Integers

Sum

501

0
0
0

Directions Example(s)
3458 and 3472
If both numbers are positive:
Line up the ones digit for the numbers.
Compare the place value for each digit starting from the left. When you find the first difference,
the number with the largest digit is the largest number.

3458
3472
The ones digits are lined up. Starting from the left, the first difference is in the tens column.
Since 7>5, then 3472 > 3458

If one number is positive and the other is negative, then the positive number has the greatest
value
34 > -3458
-3458 and -3472
If both numbers are negative:
Line up the ones digit for the numbers.
Compare the place value for each digit starting from the left. When you find the first difference,
the number with the largest digit is the smallest number.
-3458
-3472
The ones digits are lined up. Starting from the left, the first difference is in the tens column.
Since -7<-5, then -3472 < -3458

Fibonacci's elegant proof

(Ref. 2, 4)
Sum of odd integers,starting with 1, gives the square as shown in the diagram
below.
1
1 +
1 + 3
1 + 3 +

1
+
3
+
5
+

1
+
3
+
5

3
+
5
+
7

5
+ 7
7 + 9
+ 9 + 11

=
=
=
=
=
=

12
22
32
42
52
62

One way to interpret this pattern is "the average number of the N-th row is N !!"
Therefore the sum of the row,which is the sum of odd integers, is NxN=N 2.
This is what we has been discussed in the previous section on integer.

Fibonacci(1170-1250) arranged the same odd numbers in a different pattern as shown below
and came up with a very elegant proof regarding the sum of integers cubed.
3
7 +
13 + 15
21 + 23 +
31 + 33 + 35

1
+ 5
9 + 11
+ 17 + 19
25 + 27 + 29
+ 37 + 39 + 41

=
=
=
=
=
=

13
23
33
43
53
63

Fibonacci's interpretation of this table is the same as above.

"the average number of the N-th row is N2 !!"
So the N-th row has N terms and their average is N 2.
Therefore the sum of the row is N2 x N = N3.

Now let us take a look at the left hand side.

The last term of the odd integer on the N-th row is a triangular number TN,
because TN = 1 + 2 + .. + N
And we know that sum of the first p odd integers is p2
Therefore Fibonacci concluded
13+ 23+ 33+ ... + N3 = (1 + 2 + 3 + ... + N)2 = (TN)2 = {(1/2)N(N+1)}