what subtracts a negative number essentially

When you subtract a negative number, it essentially becomes addition. This is because subtracting a negative number is equivalent to adding a positive number. For example, when you have the expression 5 - (-3), it can be rewritten as 5 + 3, which equals 8. This concept is based on the rules of arithmetic and the properties of negative numbers. When you subtract a negative number, it essentially adds the absolute value of that negative number to the original number, effectively increasing the original number. This is a fundamental concept in mathematics and is widely used in various applications.