Rule 2: A negative number times a positive number equals a negative number. When you multiply a negative number to a positive number, your answer is a negative number. It doesn’t matter which order the positive and negative numbers are in that you are multiplying, the answer is always a negative number.
What does a positive plus a negative equal?
Addition of a positive number and a negative number: While adding a positive and a negative number, we take the difference of the absolute values of both the numbers and attach the sign of the greater number with the answer. a + (-b) = (a – b)
Why is a positive times a negative always a negative?
From this, we can show that ab and –ab have opposite signs and therefore that a positive times a negative is a negative. Using the fact multiplication is commutative, a negative times a positive is also negative. Since we know that −ab is negative, and the sum of these two terms is 0, therefore (−a) × (−b) is positive.
What happens when you multiply a positive number by a positive number greater than 1?
Whenever you multiply a positive number by a factor greater than 1, the product will be larger than the original number. Whenever you multiply a positive number by a positive factor less than 1, the product will be smaller than the original number.
What is positive minus negative?
So, instead of subtracting a negative, you are adding a positive. Basically, – (-4) becomes +4, and then you add the numbers. For example, say we have the problem -2 – –4.
What is multiplying by negative 1 called?
When you multiply a number by −1, all you have to do is change the sign. If it was negative it becomes positive, and if it was positive it becomes negative: −1(x)=−x OR −1(−x)=x. We have something called the zero property of multiplication.
What happens when you multiply a positive number by a number greater than 1?
What are the rules of positive and negative numbers?
The Rules:
| Rule | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| +(+) | Two like signs become a positive sign | 3+(+2) = 3 + 2 = 5 |
| −(−) | 6−(−3) = 6 + 3 = 9 | |
| +(−) | Two unlike signs become a negative sign | 7+(−2) = 7 − 2 = 5 |
| −(+) | 8−(+2) = 8 − 2 = 6 |
What is a positive divided by a negative?
Rule 2: A positive number divided by a negative number equals a negative number. As with multiplication, it doesn’t matter which order the positive and negative numbers are in, the answer is always a negative number.
