Question

The predecessor of -16 is
A.\[ - 15\]
B.\[ - 17\]
C.\[15\]
D.\[17\]

Answer 1

Hint: The given question is about writing the predecessor of a given number. Predecessor is nothing but simply the number that is preceding it or given number is proceeding to which number then that number is known as predecessor of the given number.

Complete step-by-step answer:
The question is that we have to find out the predecessor of the given number. Since the predecessor of any number means that number which is preceding it means the number before the given number predecessor of any number is defined as the number which is preceding that number.
For example if we want to find out the predecessor of n numbers where n is any natural number whose range is \[1\] to infinity and \[n\] can also be an integer. Since integer is any number which is of the range negative infinity to positive infinity where zero is also included. It means the predecessor of natural numbers as well as integers also exist there. And for the general case, for \[n\] numbers (any number either it is integer or natural) the predecessor of \[n\] is \[(n - 1)\] which simply means \[(n - 1)\] is predecessor of \[n\] means \[n\] is proceeding \[(n - 1)\].Thus we can say that \[(n - 1)\] is one number before the given number. In the given question we have to find out the predecessor \[\left( { - 16} \right)\].It means we have to find out the number which is proceeding \[\left( { - 16} \right)\]. and according to the general formula, for \[n\] numbers predecessor of \[n\] is given by \[(n - 1)\].Therefore predecessor of \[\left( { - 16} \right)\] is \[\left( { - 16 - 1} \right)\] which simply means \[\left( { - 17} \right)\]. Thus predecessor of \[\left( { - 16} \right)\] is \[\left( { - 17} \right)\]which means \[\left( { - 17} \right)\] is proceeding \[\left( { - 16} \right)\].
Thus option \[\left( B \right)\] is correct.

Note: In the given question, We had asked to find out the predecessor of given number and we had found that predecessor of \[\left( { - 16} \right)\] is \[\left( { - 17} \right)\]. Also, We can find out the successor of given number and whose formula for any n numbers is that successor of any number n is given by \[\left( {n + 1} \right).\]