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The answer to this is a little counterintuitive.
positive X positive = positive
negative X positive = negative
positive X negative = negative
negative X negative = positive
Do you see the pattern? Two positives and two negatives will always be positive.
Think of yourself standing on a number line. If you're a positive number you will be facing to the right. If you are multiplied by a positive number you will move to the right (positive).
If you are negative number, you will be facing to the left, but when multiplied by a negative number you have to move backwards, which is now to the right--a positive number!
Think of yourself as always facing right when a positive number and facing left when a negative number and then go forward or backward with the next number.
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Is a negative multiplied by a negative equal a negative?
No, a negative multiplied by a negative is a positive, as is of course a positive multiplied by a positive. Only when a negative is multiplied by a positive is the answer negative.
Why is a negative multiplied by a negative equal a positive?
The two negatives cancel out and the number becomes positive.
Does a negative multiplied by a negative equal a positive?
Yes. Same for positive times a positive (Obviously). If the signs are the same, it is positive. So, a positive times a negative is negative.
Multiplying negative numbers?
any two negative numbers multiplied together equals a positive number. any two positives numbers multiplied together equal positive numbers and any negative and positive numbers multiplied together equals a negative.negative, negative = positivenegative, positive = negativepositive, positive = positive
What would 3 x - 4?
-1
