The difference of 5 and 7 = ? SIMPLE math problem, many people will get this WRONG!

Use to find the difference of two numbers practice problem.
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[@danieldennis9831]

-2 Difference of means subtracting the second number from the first named number. 5-7=-2.

[@greorbowlfinder7078]

The distance between them is 2 no matter what side of the number line you're working with. This is an English language problem not a math problem. It even uses the word and.

[@sickandtiredofbeingsickand]

😂🎪🤡

[@MrGreensweightHist]

It is a math problem. Some math problems are word problems.

[@greorbowlfinder7078]

@@MrGreensweightHist you missed my point entirely. It is a language problem not "a word" problem. I'm sorry you missed the lesson on nuance in ELA.

[@MrGreensweightHist]

@@greorbowlfinder7078 I don't think YOU understand You're simply wrong, as I already demonstrated. YOU missed the nuance in the original problem, a nuance I already illustrated for you.

[@samdamon2224]

@MrGreensweightHist The difference is defined as Abs(𝚫). The word "and" has no direction, not even in mathematics, e.g. Boolean logic. This is not vector or matrix algebra. Therefore, the answer is 2, not -2. If you want the answer to be -2, you need to reword the question to be directional: "What is the difference FROM 7 TO 5?" This is true in math, physics, English and any other language I can think of.

[@mstanley3379]

This has brought clarity (at 70 )about the use of these corresponding names for the maths operations - I missed many lessons in maths due to medical treatments when I was a child… Thank you for theses maths explanations.

[@vernicevasquez5605]

Ty for sharing. Very helpful when assisting my son with homework ❤❤

[@haroldwood1394]

Many thanks. I teach maths at this level, and your work is a great help to my own revision and to finding better ways to explain the concepts. Thanks again!

[@dianef6038]

My immediate answer was /2/. But because my brain tries to find all possible solutions I knew -2 could be the solution as well. I quickly turned it into a "mathematical statement." Difference (-) of 5 and 7? 5-7=-2

[@leetrask6042]

I knew it was a trick question.

[@leslieoneal4464]

My brain did the exact same thing! Lol

[@MrGreensweightHist]

@@leetrask6042 There are no trick questions in math, but there are often confused readers. Math always says exactly what it means.

[@flagmichael]

@@MrGreensweightHist The correct answer is "two" - a scalar, not a vector. If he wanted the "mathematical difference" it could have been -2, but as it stands that is not true.

[@corwyncorey3703]

It *is* , as someone else says, an english language problem... except to be precise and follow the actual problem as stated, it actually asks for a direction along the number line, making *minus* 2 the *only* right answer. The fact that many people would see the placement of the 5 and the 7 as irrelevant is due to how imprecisely people treat the english language. The phrases "difference of 5 and 7" and "difference of 7 and 5" are not interchangeable... even though many would not see that. It is not a flaw in the language used... but in how people treat the language. And their own lack of critical assessment in general in how they speak/read/hear. How many misunderstandings could be avoided when speaking and listening if precision were rigorous on *both* the speaking and listening sides? Not just in math, but other areas? Boggles the mind.

[@dazartingstall6680]

I disagree. "Difference of" is a technical jargon term, easily forgotten by those who've not encountered it for many years and just as easily misunderstood by those who have never encountered it. Outside mathematics, it's gobbledygook. The closest general English language term would be "difference between," which does imply that order doesn't matter. "The difference between John and Terry is that Terry has no hair" and "The difference between Terry and John is that Terry has no hair" are both correct. It's quite understandable that people, faced with the unfamiliar "difference of" would parse it as a slightly clumsy-looking attempt at "difference between" and treat it in the same way.

[@corwyncorey3703]

​@@dazartingstall6680 A person parsing it as gobbledigook is a person who *assumed* what was asked was not precise, and therefore did not answer with any precision, instead of either asking for clarification, or looking up what the phrasing *means.* Assumptions are always where errors occur in critical thinking. One of it's primary tenets is "check your assumptions" so that one is aware of them for exactly that reason. When someone assumes it was parsed incorrectly, and answer with what they think the other person *meant* they have, by definition, made an english *error.* In language, context is key. When the question involved numbers, there is *immediately* no "outside of mathematics" part of the question, unless they are talking about the shape of the numbers, or how they make them feel etc. It immediately involves mathematics, and if someone does not answer in that same vein, or isn't switching to reading it in that context, then answering *at all* is a symptom of a larger issue: people believing that opinions are valid answers, or worth much. Hence my point. Anyone using "difference between" and "difference of" interchangeably is not being precise in listening, and therefore *causing misunderstandings directly* by using the language in a sloppy manner.

[@flagmichael]

The difference of a nickle and a nickle plus two pennies is -2? If that is the answer one wants, they should be clear about it. The way it is stated is a logical mess.

[@andresouffrance7004]

Thanks very much for taking the time to explain it for me

[@silverhammer7779]

There is a difference of 2 units between five units and seven units. Writing the problem in words causes the confusion. Writing it in standard mathematical notation, that is, 5 - 7 = -2, clears up any ambiguity. To illustrate this, plot the values 5 and 7 on a number line - there are 2 units between them.

[@sickandtiredofbeingsickand]

But you have to convert English into math. That is what both the teacher and you did. This is why we learn word problems.

[@silverhammer7779]

@@sickandtiredofbeingsickandYes, and the wording of the problem was ambiguous. This is why we take both English and Math classes in school - to learn to be precise in the use of terms.

[@flagmichael]

@@sickandtiredofbeingsickand The teacher just did it very poorly.

[@marknesselhaus4376]

Yup, the tip off for me was the use of the word "Of"

[@sickandtiredofbeingsickand]

Difference was key in solving it also.

[@Geoff_G]

In English, "5 and 7" mathematically can be written as 5+7. Now, the difference between 5+7=? So we now look at the difference between 12 =? And we are left with an answer of "undefined"

[@enriqueiii9209]

Difference = -, 5-7 = -2

[@Geoff_G]

@@enriqueiii9209 And = +, 5+7=12

[@enriqueiii9209]

@@Geoff_G No, sum = +, quotation = ÷, product = x

[@kennysimms5217]

@Geoff_G in Mathematics and represents a . For example $5.25 wrote out would be 5 dollars and 25 cents.

[@MrGreensweightHist]

No. As the video explains. The Difference (what you get when you subtract the second number from the first) between 5 (The first number) and 7 (The second number) The difference (Make a minus sign) - Between 5 (write the first number) 5- and 7 (write the second number) 5-7

[@nixxonnor]

It seems to be a difference between the phrases "the difference OF a and b" and "the difference BETWEEN a and b". "OF" meaning " (a-b), "BETWEEN" meaning ABS(a-b). The difference in meaning seems to be due to English language specific semantics. A question that would be valid in every language would be "How much is 5 compared to 7" but then the answer could be 7-5=2 or 5/7... I give up... ;)

[@LSmiata]

I disagree with the way the question was phrased. 5 and 7 or 7 and 5 does not hold a mathematical equation when in a sentence.

[@johnnolen8338]

You can think of subtraction as adding a negative number or do this instead: 5 - 7 = - 1 × (7 - 5) = - 1 × (2) = - 2 ◼

[@Kleermaker1000]

Despite the ambiguous wording of the question I, being a Dutchman, immediately understood that the answer had to be 2. :)

[@anozymous1]

the absolute difference is 2, though the way the problem is worded, -2 is the expected result.

[@harrymatabal8448]

What's the difference between 9 and 6

[@backbasics]

What’s the difference between an elephant and a head of lettuce ?

[@MartinHermans-dw3is]

this doesn't really come up in math classes. its more of an english language problem

[@GailUrge-vq6qn]

Because the sentence is a question not written as a math problem but as a question using the words of English, the correct answer is "5 is less than 7" or "7 is greater than 5".

[@corwyncorey3703]

If one were to treat it as an english problem, as you suggest, then the proper answer *in* *english* would STILL be -2... As the proper answer (in english) would be "5 is *2* *less* *than* 7". Which *still* is -2. Math problems in real life do not come stated as they would be in a math text book from school.... but they still exist, and still need the same level of precision in thought and application... and the reply. "2 less than" is an english phrase (that, when translated into math if you prefer that phrasing) simply means -2. If one speaks english with the precision they reserve for math, a lot of misunderstandings might be avoided I feel.

[@GailUrge-vq6qn]

@@corwyncorey3703 edited for the ignorant and/or illiterate....the correct answer is "5 is less than 7 by a value of --2" or "7 is greater than 5 by a value of 2"

[@corwyncorey3703]

@@GailUrge-vq6qn Again I have to agree, mhm. Most people do'nt see "math problems" and problems in english as being the same... until they need to use math in their jobs and make english work as a translation between them. They are the same... with a little precision, right? 😁

[@GailUrge-vq6qn]

@@corwyncorey3703 The question correctly written in English should be "The difference of five and seven = ?"....not using numbers and my original answer for that question. "The difference between 5 and 7 = ?" question should include the usage of "2" in the answer because it is more specific.

[@juliadplume3097]

Yay! Got it right!!!

[@blanchards]

the five is kinda roundie and the seven points up to the right... other than that they are both numbers

[@philipstokinger130]

Is there something wrong with being ACCURATE, rather than being vague & confusing; trying to "trip people up" ? Do think maybe a LOT MORE people would have come up with -2 if it was written 5-7=? Be specific ! Be ACCURATE !

[@flagmichael]

The creator seriously needs to read Elements of Style by Strunk and White. Languages are meant to be precise. If this were precise the arguments in essentially all the comments would not occur. Sloppy indeed.

[@user-bs7ue6yz3m]

PLEASE Boost the volume on your videos - I can always turn it down, but I can't turn it up !!!!

[@joshuawayneyork]

Definitely -2

[@deograciousuwiragiye8429]

Netative 2

[@user-gh4rq8lb6g]

Great!!!😂😅😊

[@stompthedragon4010]

Ahhh! Understand.

[@bsmith8564]

40%

[@MrMousley]

The difference of 5 and 7 - 2 The difference between 5 and 7 2

[@flagmichael]

Right on the nose!

[@zadockreid3527]

2

[@YohamaMr]

5 is a number....7 is a number... what is the difference between 5 and 7 are independent 7 and 5... difference is 1+1 = 2 1+1+1+1+1+1+1 = 7 1+1+1+1+1 = 5

[@marieguy576]

Neg 2

[@kaiyanhuang6335]

5-7 is -2 but if it was the other way around is 2

[@kravdraa7]

Might be good at Maths, but not so hot regarding English... If you had 13 and 8, there would be a difference of 5. The problem here is the difference BETWEEN 5 and 7.

[@philipstokinger130]

I'll 2nd the comment about "language problem" ! The difference between them is 2. If you want to be so specific about neg. & pos., about direction along the number line, then don't write in ENGLISH. WE HAVE A LANGUAGE FOR THAT, CALLED MATHEMATICS. WRITE THE EQUATION !

[@DannyAnderson-fv3zg]

-2

[@Truth845]

-2😊

[@samdamon2224]

The difference is defined as Abs(𝚫). The word "and" has no direction, not even in mathematics, e.g. Boolean logic. This is not vector or matrix algebra. Therefore, the answer is 2, not -2. If you want the answer to be -2, you need to reword the question to be directional: "What is the difference FROM 7 TO 5?" This is true in math, physics, English and any other language I can think of.

[@flagmichael]

No; difference is the result of subtraction, which is not commutative. If he wanted magnitude he should have specified magnitude.

[@georgeroybooth3335]

Trick question

[@flagmichael]

Sloppy question.

[@chsandahl3224]

I said |2|. That’d be right regardless of the order.

[@MrGreensweightHist]

Incorrect. The orders are not interchangeable.

[@flagmichael]

Absolutely not. This is one of the worst presented examples I have ever seen, and I have tutored math and English off and on for almost 60 years. (You do know that the absolute value of 2 is 2, right?) The issue is that, as presented, the answer was the "difference" which means subtraction.

[@lisahamilton9105]

I got right its -2

[@albertmoore4445]

It depends: If we find two billfolds, one with $5 and one with $7, and I get the difference it's +2 =$7 for me. If you get it, it's +2 =$7 for you. If we split it, it's +1 for each of us for a $6 profit. Either way, we each have either $5 or $6 or $7, but nobody lost money except the people who lost the billfolds. They had a -$5 and -7 and didn't get any chicken nuggets for lunch. That's the difference! 5 -7 equals -2, 7-5=+2. What is the difference? One of us got ripped off! Hey, I'll give you the difference of $5 and $7! Okay, give me the $2! No, you owe ME $2! Why?

[@tassietiger5500]

Based on your logic the difference of 7 and 5 is 2. Also the difference of -7 and -5 is -2, whereas the difference of -5 and -7 is 2. Say Peter has $1M and Paul has $2M, so the difference of the wealth of Peter and Paul is -$1M? Sounds a bit fishy to me!

[@corwyncorey3703]

Not fishy... simply being precise. The confusion most people are having is that they are not listening with precision, as they are not expecting the speaker of the problem to be *speaking* with precision. The error in that lies with the listener then. Answer the question *as* *stated* ...without asking "what do they really mean?". This is the way it would work well in life, and jobs etc... but not in marriages, perhaps...

[@MrGreensweightHist]

"Based on your logic the difference of 7 and 5 is 2" Yes. "Also the difference of -7 and -5 is -2" Yes. "whereas the difference of -5 and -7 is 2" Yes. "Say Peter has $1M and Paul has $2M, so the difference of the wealth of Peter and Paul is -$1M?" Yes. "Sounds a bit fishy to me!" Sorry. In your example you are using Peter as the base line. The difference is -$1M because the way you asked the question is synonymous with asking "How much money does Peter have compared to Paul?" and COMPARED TO PAUL, Peter has $1m less, or -$1m. Had phrased it, "What the difference of the wealth of Paul and Peter?" you would have gotten +$1m because Paul has $1m more than Peter. Which ever you say first is the one you asking to compare. Contrarily, you could have asked, "What is the gap between their wealth?" yielding $1m as an absolute value.

[@flagmichael]

@@corwyncorey3703 No - the question is too vague to answer. Pure trash.

[@Lee-ku6lk]

I thought of -2 first

[@leetrask6042]

I knew it was a trick question.

[@sickandtiredofbeingsickand]

No trick here.

[@flagmichael]

Not a trick, just a mess.

[@thundershadow]

First of all you have to say it correctly. The difference between 5 and 7. The difference of 5 and 7 is not really a math problem... it's a problem of grammar.

[@sickandtiredofbeingsickand]

No, we have to learn to convert words into math equations in order to solve them correctly. This is why we learn word problems in math class.

[@flagmichael]

@@sickandtiredofbeingsickand We are not meant to guess the meaning of the language; this one is too vague to convert reliably. That is why we learn English in English classes.

[@anitaglasgow8275]

Please be more lucid!

[@parth.mandaliya]

Seriously? You don't have anything else in basic mathematics to teach? I'm unsubscribing.

[@user-mh4ez9rg2i]

I am celebrating the A+

[@flagmichael]

I aced the math ACT test and placed second in our high school in the MAA competition. I have written document systems that had to withstand regulatory scrutiny. This question is trash; vague and ambivalent.

[@JoeyPsych]

This really frustrates me, and doesn't make intuitive sense. According to this logic, the difference between 5, 7 and 4 would than be 1, as the difference between 5 and 7 is -2, and the difference between 7 and 4 is 3 and -2 +3 =1 That doesn't make any sense at all, because the answer should be 2 and 3, not 1 My reasoning would be, the difference between 5 and 7 is 2, because you need to add 2 to go from 5 to 7, not -2, because if you would add -2 to 5, you would end up with 3, not 7. You should reason what is between the two numbers, this is always a positive number, and can never be a negative number. Second argument: If you have a pile of 5 stones, and a pile of 7 stones, the difference is that one of the piles has 2 more stones than the other. Even when you approach it from the perspective of your reasoning, you start of with the pile of 5 stones, asking what is the difference with the pile of 7 stones. Any child would say: The second pile has 2 MORE stones, nobody will ever say: The first pile has -2 stones compared to the second pile. I understand that this is just semantics, and this is just how it is in math, but why than not just ask how much 5-7 is instead of asking for the difference, because in common language that means something completely different. I know you didn't make the rules, but I find it highly unlikely that this is the definitife conclusion. I would at best argue that both answers are correct, not just -2

[@MrGreensweightHist]

" the difference between 5, 7 and 4 " A math problem would NEVER be worded this way. It would be worded as something like, "The difference between 5 and a number 4 less than 7" for example. This would then yield the math problem 5-(7-4) "Second argument: If you have a pile of 5 stones, and a pile of 7 stones," Lets call the 5 stone pile pile a, and the 7 stone pile pile b. If you ask the difference between pile a and pile b, the answer is, in fact, -2, because you are indicating pile a has 2 LESS stone. If you ask the difference between pile b and pile a, the answer is 2 because you are saying pile b has 2 more stone. The order in which you ask determines which pile you are using as your baseline. The proper, mathematical, way to ask for the answer you are seeking would be... How many more stones does pile b have than pile a? Again, the one you are subtracting from goes first. But if you say "What difference between pile a and pile b?" you are actually saying, "How many more stones does bile a have than pile b?" and the answer is, "Pile a has -2 more stones than pile b" accompanied by an incredulous look as the person wonders why the heck you thought pile a had more stones. layman, in casual conversation, do not speak in mathematical terms, but when expressing mathematical terms, one must be more precise than a layman speaking casually.

[@JoeyPsych]

@@MrGreensweightHist Conclusion: making clear you are looking for a mathmatical answer to this question is paramount. Because in normal language it's 2, in a mathmatical sense it's -2, so again, both answers are correct. I do have to add that English isn't my native language, and as far as I know, we don't have this specific difference in termanology, difference is difference, regardless of mathmatical or casual. I guess more people could find this issue a difficult one.

[@MrGreensweightHist]

@@JoeyPsych " both answers are correct." Sorry, but no. Only -2 is correct because the context of the video does make it clear it is looking for a mathematical answer.

[@JoeyPsych]

@@MrGreensweightHist Let's agree to disagree.

[@carolleenkelmann3829]

I'm immediately suspicious. What is the difference........ between/ of........? Ok, OK, "a" and "b". So, you are making it complicated. Oh, boy. More rules !!!!!!!!!! Would it make a difference if you DO use the "between" in place of the "of" ? Of was always "multiply " when I was growing up.

[@flagmichael]

I'm reminded of a joke that went around in the early 1960s: "What's the difference between a duck?" "A telephone pole, because a motorcycle doesn't have any doors."

[@batavuskoga]

The difference is two, 7-5=2, not -2. I don't agree at all now

[@naxalar]

Your feelings don't matter, math is math and it doesn't lie. Try harder.

[@batavuskoga]

@@naxalar It says the difference, it's NOT 5 minus 7, 5 - 7 = -2 So in your opinion the difference between 5 and 7 is not the same as the difference between 7 and 5 ? And I see here "the difference of". If that's not the same as "the difference between", then there's a language problem, English is not my native language

[@enriqueiii9209]

@@batavuskoga The difference between 5 and 7, which means 5 - 7 = -2, if it said 7 and 5, 7 - 5 = 2

[@henkhu100]

in mathematics the difference of two numbers has been defined as the largest value minus the smallest one. The difference between 5 and 7 is equal to 2 and not -2 Please John start with learning about math before teaching the wrong things about it again and again.

[@kateparkinson5068]

... and your qualifications are ? I only ask so I can work out which of you is likely to be right x

[@henkhu100]

@@kateparkinson5068 I have been a professor in math for over 45 years and retired now. At highschool and university level, national and international. I stiil supervice many students when they work for their final thesis, bachelor and master level. I have the highest degrees in math and in didactics in the Netherlands. So I do know what I am talking about. And I think it is a shame that John i make so many errors in his videos. Even on the website of his company, TableClass Math Academy, there are errors in videos about the example courses. My experience is that students who follow his advices will fail exams because they make errors he makes in his videos.

[@MrGreensweightHist]

"in mathematics the difference of two numbers has been defined as the largest value minus the smallest one" Incorrect. In mathematics, , the difference of two numbers is defined as the value when you subtract the Subtrahend (second number) from the Minuend (First number) Whether one is larger or smaller is irrelevant.

[@henkhu100]

⁠​⁠​⁠​⁠@@MrGreensweightHist if you calculate the difference of two numbers you take the largest for the minuend and the smallest for thesubstrahand. Also: the difference of two values a and b is the absolute value of a-b Please try to find some good books about math and look for the definition of the difference of two values.

[@MrGreensweightHist]

@@henkhu100 "if you calculate the difference of two numbers you take the largest for the minuend and the smallest for thesubstrahand" That is false. Sincerely, Someone who taught math "The advantage of using the absolute value" Never claimed it wasn't advantageous. In this question, however, it simply isn't applicable.

[@adadixon9878]

2

[@laurindapace2164]

-2

[@frowe327]

-2

[@user-mv1py5pb8w]

-2

[@cindyhammack68]

2

[@janwilloughby1384]

2

[@user-mv1py5pb8w]

2