what is the rule for subtracting a negative number

Question

if you wanted to subtract a  negative number what steps would you take to get the right answer

Answer 1

when you subtract a negative number, it is like adding that number.  Think about it like this.  Whenever you are subtracting any number, it is the same as adding the product of that number and -1:

5 - 3 = 5 + (-1) * 3 = 2

5 - (-3) = 5 + (-1) * (-3) = 5 + 3 = 8