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Multiplying and dividing negative numbers
Description
Exercise Name: Multiplying and dividing negative numbers
Math Missions: 7th grade (U.S.) Math Mission, 8th grade (U.S.) Math Mission, Arithmetic essentials Math MissionPre-algebra Math Mission, Algebra basics Math MissionHigh school geometry Math Mission, Mathematics I Math Mission
Types of Problems: 1

The Multiplying and dividing negative numbers exercise appears under the 7th grade (U.S.) Math Mission, 8th grade (U.S.) Math Mission, Arithmetic essentials Math MissionPre-algebra Math Mission, Algebra basics Math MissionHigh school geometry Math Mission and Mathematics I Math Mission. This exercise practices multiplying and dividing with integers.

## Types of Problems

There is one type of problem in this exercise:

1. Find the product or quotient: This problem provides two numbers. The user is asked to find the product or quotient of the numbers and write it in the space provided.

## Strategies

Knowledge of arithmetic operations on integers can assist on this problem. The multiplication and division rules can be summarizes succinctly.

1. When multiplying or dividing two numbers of the same sign, the result will be positive.
2. When multiplying or dividing two numbers of opposite signs, the result will be negative.
3. A negative times a negative is a positive can be understood by viewing the opposite of the number as a reflection over zero on a number line. Then a double negative is a double reflection back to the original spot.
4. In language a double negative also can be thought of as cancelling itself out. For example, when one is presented with the problem ${3-(-5)}$, the subtraction sign can be thought of as multiplication by ${-1}$. Thus, using property, the problem would become ${3+5}$, which is ${8}$.

## Real-life Applications

1. Double negatives are used not only in mathematics, but also in English.