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Take a simple multiplication question such as 2x3

It mean that there are 2 groups and these groups each have 3 things in them (or 3 groups each with 2 things)

So you add the groups up and get 6

Now if you have 2x-3 you have 2 groups and they each have -3 things in them. You add all the negatives 3s up just like you did in the last question and have -6.

It is difficult to imagine -3 things or -6 things, so just think of multiplying by a negative will reverse the sign (kind of like reversing the polarity of battery terminals). So if you reverse them one time (negative X positive) then it is opposite of what it was:

  • If the number to be multiplied by is Positive, then the answer is negative : Negative X Positive = Negative.
  • If the number to be multiplied by is Negative, then the answer is positive : Negative X Negative = Positive.

If you multiply a number by a positive, it does not reverse the sign: Positive x something equals the a number with the same sign as the something.

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Q: Why is a negative number times a positive number always negative?
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Related questions

How do you work out how to times a positive number by a negative number?

A positive number times a positive number will always get you a positive number A negative number times a negative number will always get you a positive number (same signs will get you a positive number) but A positive number times a negative number will always get you a negative number or A negative number times a positive number will always get you a negative number (different signs will get you a negative number)


Why does a negative number times a negative number produce a positive number?

Negative times negative is always a positive.


Why is the square of a number always a positive number?

The square of a number is always two numbers multiplied together. A positive times a positive is always positive, and a negative times a negative is always positive.


What is a positive times a negitive?

A positive number multiplied with a negative number will always be negative.


Why is any number raised to a even power positive?

A positive number times a positive number is always positive. A negative number times a negative number is always positive. Therefore, any square number will be positive. Any number to the fourth power (a square times a square) will always be positive. And so on.


What is negative 10 times negative 5?

-10 x -5 = +50A negative times a negative will always equal a positive number.A negative times a positive will always equal a negative number.A positive times a positive will always equal a positive number.- x - = +- x + = -+ x + = +


How do you square negative numbers?

Multiply the number by its self and the answer will always be positive (negative times a negative is positive)


Would a positive multiplied by a negative be a positive?

No. A positive times a negative is always negative. A negative times a negative is always a positive.


What is a negitaive times a positive?

A negative number times a positive number will give you a negative product.A negative number times a positive number will give you a negative product.A negative number times a positive number will give you a negative product.A negative number times a positive number will give you a negative product.


What is positive 6 times negative 2?

-12A negative times a positive is always a negative.A negative times a negative is always positive.


How do you multiply a negative number to a positive number?

A negative times a positive is always a negative. The rest is the same: just multiply as if they are both positive numbers and then add the negative sign at the end.


Why is a negative number times a negative number always equal a positive number?

because you are dividing with same signs