Hint for Section 3.2 Question 3

3.  This question can be rewritten as an if--then statement.  If r is a rational number, then there exists another rational number s such that r + s = 0 = s + r.   To prove that an if--then statement (p implies.jpg (563 bytes)q) is true, we assume that p is true and use that to show that q must also be true.

Proof  Suppose that  r is a rational number. Hence r = a/b for some integers a and b, where b noteqred.jpg (905 bytes)0.

We are trying to conclude that there exists a rational number s such that r + s = 0 = s + r.   To accomplish this you need to find s (in terms of  a and b).

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