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Materials: Two-Colored Chips
Activity I: Representing Integers With Sets of Two-Colored Chips
Using the two-colored chips with positive numbers represented by white chips ( white side up) and negative
numbers represented by red chips ( red side up), model each of the following problems using at least five
chips each time and sketch the results in the boxes.
Example: The set below represents the number (+2).

Sketch your models in the boxes.

-1

+4

-3

Activity 2: Absolute Value with Two-Colored Chips

1.

Use the two-colored chips to represent each of the following integers with the fewest number of chips
possible. Sketch your answers in the boxes.
-1

+4

a.
2.

b.

-3

c.

d.

How many total chips are used in each set above?

a.

b.

c.

d.

The answers to #2 above are the absolute values of the integers given in #1. With the two-colored chip models,
the absolute value of an integer is the fewest number of chips used to model it.
3.

What is the absolute value of the following integers?

a. (-12)

MATH 3443

b. (+13)

c. (0)

Modeling: Real Numbers and Statistics

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Activity 3: Addition With Two-Colored Chips

1.

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Use the two-colored chips to represent each addend and manipulate them to model each problem given
below. Make a sketch to illustrate what was done in each problem. Problem a. is done for you.
a.

(+5) + (-3) =

c.

+2

b.

(-4) + (+3) =

(+8) + (-3) =

d.

(-9) + (-2) =

e.

(-4) + (+7) =

f.

(-3) + (+8) =

g.

(+3) + (-3) =

h.

(+5) + (0) =

i.

(0) + (-3) =

j.

(+5) + (-5) =

Modeling: Real Numbers and Statistics

MATH 3443

2.

Use the two-colored chips to investigate the following questions and then write the answers to the given
situations.
a.

Is the sum of two positive integers positive or negative? How do you know?

b.

Is the sum of two negative integers positive or negative? How do you know?

When is the sum of a positive integer and a negative integer:

c.

positive?

d.

negative?

e.

zero?

MATH 3443

Modeling: Real Numbers and Statistics

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