Negative 2 minus negative 4
Understand the Problem
The question is asking us to perform a mathematical operation involving subtraction of negative numbers. Specifically, it's asking what the result is when you subtract -4 from -2.
Answer
The result is \( 2 \).
Answer for screen readers
The final answer is ( 2 ).
Steps to Solve
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Identify the operation We are tasked with subtracting a negative number from another negative number. The operation we need to perform is $-2 - (-4)$.
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Rewrite the subtraction Subtracting a negative is the same as adding its positive. Therefore, we can rewrite the expression: $$ -2 - (-4) = -2 + 4 $$
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Perform the addition Now, we need to add the numbers together: $$ -2 + 4 = 2 $$
The final answer is ( 2 ).
More Information
Subtracting a negative number is equivalent to addition. This concept is useful in various mathematical operations and helps simplify calculations involving negative numbers.
Tips
A common mistake is forgetting that subtracting a negative number changes the operation to addition. It's essential to remember that $-a - (-b)$ simplifies to $-a + b$.
