# What is the correct interpretation of the expression-6-(-5)?

Jul 16, 2018

$- 6 - \left(- 5\right) = - 6 + 5 = - 1$

The minus sign outside the bracket represents minus one. When you remove the brackets you must multiply everything inside by minus one. This has the effect of just changing the signs so minus five becomes positive five.

Jul 16, 2018

$- 6 - \left(- 5\right) = - 1$

#### Explanation:

Given:

$- 6 - \left(- 5\right)$

According to the order of operations, multiplication comes before subtraction or addition.

$- \left(- 5\right)$ is understood to be $- 1 \times - 5$.

Simplify.

$- 6 + 5$

$- 1$

Jul 16, 2018

It can also be interpreted as....

#### Explanation:

The difference between $- 6 \mathmr{and} - 5$

Subtract $- 5$ from $- 6$

So;

$- 6 - \left(- 5\right)$

Recall: $- \times - = +$

$- 6 + 5$

$- 1$

Jul 16, 2018

See below:

#### Explanation:

The expression is read as "negative $6$ minus negative $5$".

Recall, that when we subtract a negative number, it is the same as adding the positive version of it. This means we can rewrite it as

$- 6 + 5$, which evaluates to $- 1$.

To make this a little bit more tangible, we can also rewrite the expression we started with as

$- 6 - 1 \left(- 5\right)$

Since we have a negative multiplying the $- 5$, there is implicitly a $- 1$ there. What would we do here?

We would distribute the $- 1$ to the parenthesis and be left with

$- 6 + 5$, which also evaluates to $- 1$.

Hope this helps!