Which of the following numbers is closest to 100 on the number line?
(A) 98
(B) 95
(C) 103
(D) 107
(E) 110
Solution 1

ANSwer: (C)

We place each of the five answers and 100 on a number line.

Of the five answers given, the two closest numbers to 100 are 98 and 103.

Since 98 is 2 units away from 100 and 103 is 3 units away from 100, then 98 is closest to 100 .

![](https://cdn.mathpix.com/cropped/2024_04_20_748fdafcde2a47412608g-186.jpg?height=73&width=705&top_left_y=549&top_left_x=775)

## Solution 2

We calculate the positive difference between 100 and each of the five possible answers. The number closest to 100 on the number line will produce the smallest of these positive differences.

| Possible  Answers | 98 | 95 | 103 | 107 | 110 |
| :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: | :---: |
| Positive  Differences | $100-98=2$ | $100-95=5$ | $103-100=3$ | $107-100=7$ | $110-100=10$ |

Since the smallest positive difference is 2 , then 98 is the closest to 100 on the number line.

ANSWER: (A)