Final answer:
The statement -√50 < -7 is correct because -√50, approximately equal to -7.07, is less than -7.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks to complete the mathematical statement by comparing the numbers -√50 and -7 using inequality symbols. To compare these two values, we first need to simplify -√50 to its decimal form. We know that √50 is approximately 7.07, so -√50 is approximately -7.07.
Comparing -7.07 with -7, we see that -7.07 is less than -7 because on the number line, -7.07 is to the left of -7. Therefore, the inequality symbol we should use to complete the statement is < (less than).
The completed statement is -√50 < -7.
Checking the reasonableness of the answer is important in mathematics. It's reasonable to conclude that the negative square root of a number slightly greater than 49 would be slightly less than -7 since √49 is exactly 7.