Question

Over the course of 4 months, Spiffy the dog lost 36 pounds. What integer represents his loss per month?

Answer 1

Divide total loss by number of months:

36 pounds / 4 months = 9 pounds per month.

Because it lost weight the integer would be negative 9 (-9)

Answer 2

-9 pounds / month

Explanation:

A loss of 36 pounds is a negative number

-36

Divide by the number of months

-36 pounds / 4 months

-9 pounds / month