To evaluate the expression \(-4 - (-9)\) using the concept of the additive inverse, you can rewrite the subtraction of \(-9\) as adding its additive inverse.
- The expression \(-4 - (-9)\) can be rewritten as \(-4 + 9\).
- Now you evaluate \(-4 + 9\).
- To calculate that, you can think of it as moving up 9 units from \(-4\) on a number line.
So:
\[ -4 + 9 = 5 \]
Therefore, the correct response would be:
Because \(-4 + 9\) is an equivalent expression, the answer is 5.