Identify Signs: Identify the signs of the numbers involved in the subtraction. Here, −12 is negative and 5 is also considered negative because we are subtracting it. Both numbers are negative.
Add Absolute Values: Add the absolute values of the two numbers because they have the same sign. The absolute value of −12 is 12, and the absolute value of 5 is 5. Adding these gives us 12+5=17.
Determine Final Sign: Determine the sign of the final answer. Since both numbers were negative, the result will also be negative. Therefore, the final answer is −17.