# A score story

A fictional score begins at −2, rises by 6 and then falls by 9. Draw or describe the two changes. Write an expression for the final score. Try reversing the order of the two signed changes and compare the final value with the path.

**A way to check:** −2 + 6 − 9 = −5. Reordering the additions +6 and −9 keeps the final sum −5 but changes the intermediate score. It does not give permission to rearrange any division or subtraction expression.