Question

The predecessor of -99 is
A) - 98
B) - 100
C) 98
D) 100

Answer 1

Hint: An integer has both predecessor and successor i.e. a number present on the right and left and are calculated by subtracting and adding 1 respectively. as we are to find the predecessor, we will subtract 1 from the given number to obtain the required answer.

Complete step-by-step answer:
A number can be whole, integer or natural. Every number represented on a number line has a successor and predecessor.
Whole numbers start from 0 while natural numbers start from 1. Integers are just like whole numbers but also contain sets of negative numbers as well.
As -99 is a negative number, it belongs to a group of integers.
The predecessor of an integer is given by $ (n - 1) $ while the successor is given by $ (n + 1) $ where n is the value of integer.
Thus the predecessor of -99 is given as:
 $
  \Rightarrow P = n - 1 \\
  \Rightarrow P = - 99 - 1\left( {\because n = - 99} \right) \\
  \Rightarrow P = - 100 \;
  $
Therefore, the predecessor of - 99 is $ – 100 $ and the correct option is B).
So, the correct answer is “Option B”.

Note: Predecessor is basically the number before and successor is the number after the given number.
Predecessor is the number smaller than the given number. But remember for positive and negative integers: 15 is smaller than 16 but in negative the case becomes opposite, - 16 is smaller than - 15
We can also find the predecessor using the number line. We move towards left to find the predecessor of the given number and towards right to get the successor.

Thus, the predecessor of - 99 (on moving left on number line) is found to be - 100