Find the sum or difference. (p. 750)

$27.1-18.6$

Two numbers with opposite signs get subtracted and the resulting number carries the sign of the larger number. So, if the sign of larger number is positive, then the sign of the resulting difference will be positive as well. And if the sign of the larger number is negative, then the sign of the resulting difference will be negative as well.

The difference of the numbers$7-3=4$ is positive because the larger number is positive as well.

And the difference of the numbers $3-7=-4$ is negative because the larger number is negative as well.

The number 27.1 is positive and the number 18.6 is with negative sign in front of this. So, the resulting difference will be positive, as the larger number is positive.

The difference of the numbers can be computed as shown below,

$27.1-18.6=8.5$

Thus, the difference of the given numbers is $8.5$.