The symbol "−" represents a negative value in mathematics and is used to indicate subtraction. It signifies that one quantity is less than another or that a number is below zero. For example, in the equation 5 − 3, the result is 2, showing that 3 is subtracted from 5. In everyday life, negative values can describe various situations, such as a negative balance in a bank account or a negative temperature in weather reports. These contexts help convey that something is lacking or below a certain standard, making the concept of negativity relevant in both math and real-world scenarios.