-2 is a larger number than -5, if you were to plot these two numbers on a number line, -5 would be further to the left of 0 than -2, which makes it a smaller number. The sign < means less than. The statement being made is that -2 is less than -5, which is false.
Since there is a total of 17 pens and 2 are removed then there is 15 left. the probability is 5/17 on the first draw and 4/16 (simplified is 1/4) on the second draw.
