High School

What is the meaning of the statement \(-30 < -5\)?

A. minus 30 is less than minus 5
B. minus 30 is greater than minus 5
C. 30 is less than 5
D. 30 is greater than 5

Answer :

The statement '-30 < -5' indicates that -30 is less than -5 because -5 is closer to zero than -30, making it the greater number.

The statement -30 < -5 means that minus 30 is less than minus 5. When comparing negative numbers, the number that is closer to zero is considered greater. Therefore, since -5 is closer to zero than -30, -5 is greater than -30. This is in line with the concept of negative scalar quantities where a greater negative indicates a lesser value overall. Hence, the correct answer to the statement is Option A: minus 30 is less than minus 5.