Question

Find the value of $5-3$ using chip model.

• A. $5$
• B. $3$
• C. $2$
• D. $4$

Answer 1

The correct option is C $2$

We would solve $(5-3)$ using chip model.

Assume that the circle with blue color represents positive integer $‘‘+1"$ and the circle with yellow color represents negative integer $‘‘-1"$.


Also, addition of one blue circle and one yellow circle would be equal to $0$ as $‘‘+1"$ and $‘‘-1"$ are cancelling each other upon addition.



Now, for $(5-3)$, we have to subtract $3$ from $5$. This can be carried out by adding $5$ blue circles (each represents $‘‘+1"$) and $3$ yellow circles (each represents $‘‘-1"$), i.e., to calculate $5-3$, we perform $5+(-3)$.

The respective process can be shown as:


In the above illustration, $3$ blue circles and $3$ yellow circles cancel out each other, and we left with $2$ blue circles, which is equivalent to $+2$.

$\therefore$ The value of $(5-3)$ is equal to $2$.