What does a negative minus a positive equal?

it equals a negative number

When subtracting a positive number from a negative number, you can think of it as adding the opposite. The rule for subtracting integers is to change the sign of the second number and then add the numbers together.

So, when subtracting a positive number from a negative number, you change the positive number to its negative counterpart, and then perform the addition.

For example, let's say we have -7 minus 4.

Step 1: Change the sign of the positive number.
The positive number 4 becomes -4.

Step 2: Perform the addition.
-7 + (-4) = -11

Therefore, a negative minus a positive equals a negative number. In this case, -7 minus 4 equals -11.