Hermes says that the opposite of 9 is 9 since each number is 9 units from zero on the number line. Is Hermes correct?
Explain why or why not

Hermès is incorrect. The opposite of 9 is -9.

Explanation: In this question, Hermès gives an incorrect answer, claiming that the opposite of 9 is also 9. To find the correct answer, let’s first look at his reasoning. He was right in one thing- to find the opposite of a number, we need to find one that shares the same distance from zero. However, he was wrong in believing that the number had to be exactly the same. To find the opposite number, find the same distance from zero in the opposite direction. In this case, the distance from zero is 9. Go in the opposite direction from zero, 9 times. This would give you an answer of -9. Because of this, the opposite of 9 is -9.

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