Multiplying And Dividing Negative Numbers - Future Set Tech Camp

Cart 0 Sign In My Account About Calendar & Schedule Catalog Store Back Overview Testimonials Why Future Set? Mission Statement Director's Bio Location Contact Math Resources Blog

Math for Computer Science

6 | Multiplying and dividing negative numbers

Back to Table of Contents Previous Lesson Next Lesson Examples Practice Problems

Introduction

How are negative numbers multiplied and divided?

Multiplying and dividing negative numbers can be summarized with the following rules:

• Multiplying a negative and a positive results in a negative
• Multiplying two negatives results in a positive
• Dividing a negative and a positive results in a negative
• Dividing two negatives results in a positive

Examples

Multiplying negative numbers

Q: 3 × (-5)

Your browser does not support the canvas element.

A: Multiplying 3 and -5 means adding 3 groups of -5. Since adding negatives results in a move to the left on the number line, 3 × (-5) is -15.

Dividing negative numbers

Q: -15 ÷ (-5)

Your browser does not support the canvas element.

A: Dividing -15 and -5 means counting groups of -5 until we get to -15. Since adding negatives results in a move to the left on the number line, our quotient will be positive. Thus, -15 ÷ (-5) = 3.

Practice | Multiplying and Dividing Negative Numbers

Click "Create Report" upon completion of any practice set to document your progress: Example

Quit

Problem0 of 10

Your browser does not support the canvas element. Next Create Report 1Multiplying negative numbers 2Dividing negative numbers 3Multiplying and dividing negative numbers (no models) 4Mixed practice (all operations, no models) Previous Lesson Next Lesson