Free Math Animations. Free Math Animations - go to numbers, negative... Ask Dr. Math FAQ: Negative Times a Negative. Minus times minus results in a plus, The reason for this, we needn't discuss. - Ogden Nash Why is a negative times a negative a positive?
People have suggested many ways of picturing what is going on when a negative number is multiplied by a negative number. It's not easy to do, however, and there doesn't seem to be a visualization that works for everyone. Debt Debt is a good example of a negative number. Suppose $700 is being deducted each month to pay the mortgage. This is an illustration of a positive times a negative resulting in a negative. Now suppose that, as a bonus, the employer decides to pay the mortgage for one year.
This is an illustration of a negative times a negative resulting in a positive. If one thinks of multiplication as grouping, then we have made a positive group by taking away a negative number twelve times. This example may not work for you, and you might want to read others by following the related links below. Visualizing isn't the same as understanding. For example, Positives and Negatives. Here's another proof, not by contradiction.Let .Proposition 1 implies.
Why does the multiplication of two negative numbers give a positive? And a positive and a negative give a. People have suggested many ways of picturing what is going on when a negative number is multiplied by a negative number.
It's not easy to do, however, and there doesn't seem to be a visualization that works for everyone. DebtDebt is a good example of a negative number. One common form of debt is a mortgage in which you owe the bank money because the bank paid for your house. It is also common for an employer to deduct a mortgage payment from an employee's paycheck to help the employee keep on schedule with the payments. Suppose $700 is being deducted each month to pay the mortgage. This is an illustration of a positive times a negative resulting in a negative. Now suppose that, as a bonus, the employer decides to pay the mortgage for one year. Lesson WHY negative exponents are defined the way they are. Multiplying Negatives Makes A Positive. When We Multiply: Yes indeed, two negatives make a positive, and we will explain why, with examples!
Signs Let's talk about signs. "+" is the positive sign, "−" is the negative sign. When a number has no sign it usually means that it is positive. And we can put () around the numbers to avoid confusion. Example: 3 × −2 can be written as 3 × (−2) Two Signs: The Rules Example: (−2) × (+5) The signs are − and + (a negative sign and a positive sign), so they are unlike signs (they are different to each other) So the result must be negative: Example: (−4) × (−3) The signs are − and − (they are both negative signs), so they are like signs (like each other) So the result must be positive: Why does multiplying two negative numbers make a positive? Well, first there is the "common sense" explanation: When I say "Eat!
" But when I say "Do not eat! " Now if I say "Do NOT not eat! " So, two negatives make a positive, and if that satisfies you, then you don't need to read any more. Direction It is all about direction.