Question

Find the difference.
$-5-\left(-17\right)$

Short answer

The difference of the numbers is $12$.

Step-by-step solution

Step-1 – Apply the concept subtraction

Two numbers with similar signs get added and the resulting number carries the similar sign.

Two numbers with opposite signs get subtracted and the resulting number carries the sign of the larger number.

Step-2 – Example for subtraction of numbers

The difference of the numbers $7-3=4$ is positive because the larger number is positive as well.

And the difference of the numbers $3-7=-4$ is negative because the larger number is negative as well.

Step-3 – Evaluate the difference

To evaluate the difference $-5-\left(-17\right)$, add the opposite of the second number.

To subtract $-17$, add its opposite $17$ to get

$\begin{array}{c}-5-\left(-17\right)=-5+17\\ =12\end{array}$

Thus, the difference of the numbers is $12$.