1. Let's clarify what "minus" means in math: it usually refers to subtraction or a negative sign. 2. If you see a minus sign before a number, like $-3$, it means the number is negative, which is less than zero. 3. If you see a minus sign between two numbers, like $5 - 2$, it means subtraction: you take away the second number from the first. 4. The minus sign changes the value by moving it left on the number line (for subtraction) or indicating a value below zero (for negative numbers). 5. For example, $7 - 4 = 3$ because you remove 4 from 7. 6. And $-5$ means 5 units to the left of zero on the number line. 7. Understanding minus is key to working with negative numbers and subtraction operations in algebra and arithmetic.