Solve -2-(-5): Step-by-Step Guide to Subtracting Negative Numbers

Question

$-2-(-5)=$

00:00 Solve

00:03 Negative times negative always equals positive

00:09 Open parentheses

00:13 The number is directed, negative

00:16 Progress towards the negative side on the axis is leftward

00:21 Therefore, from point 0 we'll take 2 jumps left

00:26 The number is directed, positive

00:30 Progress towards the positive side on the axis is rightward

00:34 We'll take 5 jumps right

00:40 And this is the solution to the question

Let's remember the rule:

$-(-x)=+$

We'll write the exercise in the appropriate form:

$-2+(5)=$

We'll locate the number minus 2 on the number line, from there we'll move 5 steps to the right (since 5 is greater than zero):

We can see that we've reached the number 3.

$3$