College

What is the meaning of the statement [tex]-30 \ \textless \ -5[/tex]?

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

Answer :

To understand the meaning of the statement [tex]\(-30 < -5\)[/tex], let's break it down:

1. Negative Numbers Overview:
- Negative numbers are numbers less than zero.
- In a sequence of negative numbers, the number closer to zero is actually greater. For example, [tex]\(-3\)[/tex] is greater than [tex]\(-8\)[/tex] because [tex]\(-3\)[/tex] is closer to zero.

2. Analyzing the Statement [tex]\(-30 < -5\)[/tex]:
- When we say [tex]\(-30 < -5\)[/tex], it means we are comparing two negative numbers: [tex]\(-30\)[/tex] and [tex]\(-5\)[/tex].
- On the number line, [tex]\(-30\)[/tex] is farther from zero than [tex]\(-5\)[/tex].
- Therefore, [tex]\(-30\)[/tex] is less than [tex]\(-5\)[/tex] because moving left on the number line from [tex]\(-5\)[/tex] takes us to smaller numbers like [tex]\(-30\)[/tex].

3. Answer Choices:
- A. 30 is greater than 5 - This is incorrect because the statement involves comparing negative numbers.
- B. 30 is less than minus 5 – This is incorrect since it's not about positive numbers at all.
- C. Minus 30 is less than minus 5 - This is correct because [tex]\(-30\)[/tex] is indeed less than [tex]\(-5\)[/tex].
- D. Minus 30 is greater than minus - This is incomplete and also incorrect for our context.

Thus, based on the analysis, the correct interpretation of the statement [tex]\(-30 < -5\)[/tex] is that minus 30 is less than minus 5, which corresponds to option C.