Which inequality is true?

Which inequality is true?

• A. -5 < -12
• B. -12 < -5
• C. -12 > -5
• D. -5 > -12

Answer: (B)

Think about how numbers line up on a number line. Moving left means smaller values, moving right means larger values. -12 sits to the left of -5, so -12 is the smaller number. That makes -12 < -5 true. The statement -5 < -12 would imply -5 is smaller, which isn’t correct. The statement -12 > -5 would imply -12 is larger, which also isn’t correct. The option -5 > -12 expresses the same truth as -12 < -5, but the common way to state the true relationship here is -12 < -5.

Think about how numbers line up on a number line. Moving left means smaller values, moving right means larger values. -12 sits to the left of -5, so -12 is the smaller number. That makes -12 < -5 true. The statement -5 < -12 would imply -5 is smaller, which isn’t correct. The statement -12 > -5 would imply -12 is larger, which also isn’t correct. The option -5 > -12 expresses the same truth as -12 < -5, but the common way to state the true relationship here is -12 < -5.