What's the right way to verbalize -x in English?

Asked Sep 09 '21 at 03:02

Active Sep 09 '21 at 03:04

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In mathematics, when the symbol says "-3", am I correct in saying that it can be pronounced as "negative three" or "minus three"?
When the symbol is "-x", can we still read it as "negative x" OR "minus x"? Or does the change of meaning necessitates the change of the name of the symbol?

edited Sep 09 '21 at 03:04

Infinity_hunter

asked Sep 09 '21 at 03:02

user911938

2

All the terminologies you mentioned are acceptable. – Trebor Sep 09 '21 at 03:06
1

Related (duplicate?): "Negative" versus "Minus". Also, a site search for negative minus yields over 1300 results, some of which may be relevant. – Blue Sep 09 '21 at 03:33
If you needed to pick one or the other, "negative x" has a slightly more professional sound to it, but either one is perfectly acceptable. – PiGuy314 Sep 09 '21 at 11:25
How would you verbalize this expression? $a-(-b)$ – John Joy Sep 10 '21 at 01:06
Quoting from my Answer here: Would you read 7=-(-7) as “negative negative 7” versus “minus minus 7”? – ryang Oct 21 '21 at 00:38

0 Answers0