Question

Select all the choices that are equal to (-5) - (-12)?

A. -7
B. 7
C. The difference between -5 and -12
D. The difference between -12 and -5
E. (-5) + 12
F. (-5) + (-12)

Answer 1

The value of (-5) - (-12) is 7, which means the correct choices are B, C and E. Subtraction of a negative number is the same as adding the positive equivalent, and in this case, (-5) + 12 equals to 7.

Step-by-step explanation:

To find the value of (-5) - (-12), we need to understand the rules for adding and subtracting negative numbers. When we subtract a negative number, it's the same as adding its positive counterpart. Therefore, (-5) - (-12) is the same as (-5) + 12.

Let's follow the step-by-step calculation:

1. Change the subtraction of a negative number to the addition of a positive number: (-5) - (-12) becomes (-5) + 12.
2. Add the numbers together: -5 + 12 equals 7.

Now, looking at the choices:

• Choice A is -7, which is not the result we found.
• Choice B is 7. This is the correct answer since (-5) + 12 equals 7.
• Choice C is the difference between -5 and -12, which is the correct way of stating the operations we performed.
• Choice D, the difference between -12 and -5, implies -12 - (-5). This is not the same as (-5) - (-12).
• Choice E is (-5) + 12, which is the equivalent expression of our original problem, so it is correct.
• Choice F is (-5) + (-12), which results in -17, not the result we're looking for.

Therefore, the correct choices are B, C, and E.