Question

Subtract -5x^2 - 3 from -x - 5

Answer 1

      -x-5
  -  -5x^2 - 3

or

(-x-5) - (-5x^2 - 3)

First, distribute the -. So then it becomes

-x - 5 + 5x^2 + 3

Since you can't add 5x^2 to -x. You can only combine -5 and 3.
Thus it becomes
 - x + 5x^2 -2

However, you order in exponents so

5x^2 - x - 2

would be the correct answer.