4 ms·

Why?

• RhysU 4y ago
  Because "minus" is the boolean subtraction operator not the unary negation operator despite a lot of colloquial misuse by native speakers. The distinction is useful when reading aloud expressions like 3-(-2) as "three minus negative two".
  • osrec 4y ago
    Perhaps, but "negative one" would sound a little odd to lot of people from certain countries, including the UK, where "minus one" is the standard way of referring to a negative number. We would be perfectly okay with hearing "three minus minus two" in mathematical context.
    • RhysU 4y ago
      Americans would be OK hearing that too. It's just a more complicated grammar to parse. Curiosity: How do you call the terminals on a battery?
      • osrec 4y ago
        Positive and negative for battery terminals. But "minus five degrees" for temperature ;)