Why is a negative number divided by a negative number a positive number?

Why is a negative number divided by a negative number a positive number?

It implies that the distributive property of multiplication does not work for (-1)*(-1)= – 1 . Hence, multiplication of two negative numbers is positive number.

What are the rules for dividing with negative numbers?

When you divide two negative numbers, the answer is always a positive number. For example, -4 divided by -2 equals 2. When both numbers are negative, the negatives cancel out, resulting in the answer always being a positive number.

Why does dividing two negatives make a positive?

Each number has an “additive inverse” associated to it (a sort of “opposite” number), which when added to the original number gives zero. The fact that the product of two negatives is a positive is therefore related to the fact that the inverse of the inverse of a positive number is that positive number back again.

Can you subtract negative numbers?

Subtracting a negative number is the same as adding a positive number — that is, go up on the number line. This rule works regardless of whether you start with a positive number or a negative number.

Why do two negatives make a positive?

Two negatives cancel out and make a positive, in maths as well as in speech. The signs add together physically. When you have two negative signs, one turns over, and they add together to make a positive. If you have a positive and a negative, there is one dash left over,…

How do you divide negative by positive?

Divide a positive number by a negative number. To do this, divide the integers as usual, then place a negative sign in front of the quotient. A positive number divided by a negative number is always negative. This also is the rule when dividing a negative number by a positive number.

Do two positives make a negative?

Article: Two positives make a negative for gender bias in Stem John Holden describes in his article that the gender gap in reading is considerable where statistics from multiple studies show that girls are more avid readers and likely to be better at it than in math, where as boys are found to be better in math than in reading.

What does a positive divided by a positive equal?

Rule 1: A positive number divided by a positive number equals a positive number. This is the division you have been doing all along. For example: 16 / 4 = 4. We don’t place + in front of the numbers. It’s assumed no sign in front of the number means positive.

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