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Course: Arithmetic > Unit 19
Lesson 1: Multiply and divide integers- Multiplying a positive and a negative number
- Multiplying two negative numbers
- Why a negative times a negative is a positive
- Why a negative times a negative makes sense
- Multiplying positive & negative numbers
- Multiplying negative numbers
- Dividing positive and negative numbers
- Dividing negative numbers
- Multiplying negative numbers review
- Dividing negative numbers review
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Multiplying a positive and a negative number
Discover what it means to multiply by negative numbers by using repeated addition and using the distributive property.
Extending multiplication to more numbers
Whether we use whole numbers, fractions, or integers, multiplication still has the same meanings.
Let's explore how different properties of multiplication help us make sense of multiplication with negative numbers.
Multiplication as repeated addition
Multiplication can be a shortcut for adding equal groups of the same size. For example, we can show groups of these ways:
We can make equal groups with negative values, too.
This makes sense on a number line, too.
Starting from , taking steps of units each in the negative direction leads us to .
Multiplication with the distributive property: positive times negative
The properties of multiplication work the same with negatives as with positive numbers and . Let's use the distributive property to convince ourselves of the value of .
Describe a general pattern for when we multiply a positive number times a negative number.
Want to join the conversation?
- why am I doing this if this ant for a grade im not doing this(20 votes)
- Idk why we need to read this(15 votes)
- What is the product of 10(-10)?(4 votes)
- It's -100 (negative 100)
I'll explain
multiplying with numbers of different signs is just basically regular multiplication with different signs.
A positive number times a negative number is negative.
This is because as multiplication is basically repeated addition, here you are adding -10 to itself a bunch.
In other words, subtracting regularly.
Also multiplying two numbers of the same sign is positive (example -5 x -5 = 25, 5 x 5 = 25)
And it's the opposite with two numbers of different signs.
I hope I helped :)(5 votes)
- the fact that some of us just do these to read the comments ;)(5 votes)
- I am so confused on the 60 question thing. HOW!?(2 votes)
- these comments got me wheezing(2 votes)
- i'm confuzzled
with this thingy(2 votes) - Why do we even have these articles?(1 vote)
- We have the articles so they can teach us how to do the exercises. Think of them as lessons at school.(2 votes)
- HUH- why does math have to be so hard?!(1 vote)
- This is still multiplication, you know how to do that, right? The only thing is, if one of the numbers that are multiplied is negative, then your result will be negative.
Eg.-5 * 8 = -40
7 * -6 = -42
That's all it is lol. Good luck(1 vote)
- How do I find a simple way to find the expressions?(1 vote)