The difference between two negative integers can be either positive or negative, depending on their values.
To understand this, let's consider the general form of the question: What is (-a) - (-b)
, where a
and b
are positive integers? This simplifies to -a + b
, or b - a
.
- If
b > a
: Thenb - a
is a positive integer. - If
b < a
: Thenb - a
is a negative integer. - If
b = a
: Thenb - a
is zero.
Here are a few examples:
-
Example 1: Positive Difference
(-2) - (-5) = -2 + 5 = 3
. Here, the result is a positive integer (3). -
Example 2: Negative Difference
(-5) - (-2) = -5 + 2 = -3
. Here, the result is a negative integer (-3). -
Example 3: Zero Difference
(-5) - (-5) = -5 + 5 = 0
. Here, the result is zero.
Therefore, the difference between two negative integers can be positive, negative, or zero.