To solve the equation [tex]\(-3 - \square = -12\)[/tex], we need to isolate the unknown value (let's call it [tex]\(x\)[/tex]).
1. Start with the given equation:
[tex]\[
-3 - x = -12
\][/tex]
2. To isolate [tex]\(x\)[/tex], first add 3 to both sides of the equation. This helps to move the constant term on the left-hand side to the right-hand side:
[tex]\[
-3 - x + 3 = -12 + 3
\][/tex]
3. Simplify both sides:
[tex]\[
-x = -9
\][/tex]
4. To solve for [tex]\(x\)[/tex], multiply both sides of the equation by [tex]\(-1\)[/tex] to get rid of the negative sign:
[tex]\[
-1 \cdot (-x) = -1 \cdot (-9)
\][/tex]
5. This simplifies to:
[tex]\[
x = 9
\][/tex]
So, the integer that makes the subtraction sentence true is [tex]\(9\)[/tex].
Therefore, the solution is:
[tex]\[
9
\][/tex]
