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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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13y ago

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Q: Why does a negative multiplied by a negative equal a positive?
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