The inequality -2 < 1 indicates the relative position of the numbers -2 and 1 on a number line. Specifically, this statement means that -2 is to the left of 1.
On a number line, numbers that are smaller (or less) are positioned to the left of larger (or greater) numbers. Since -2 is less than 1, you would find -2 situated to the left of 1. In summary, -2 is less than 1 signifies that if you were to move from -2 to 1 on the number line, you would be moving in the positive direction (to the right).