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

-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.