Negative numbers
| Adding a negative is subtracting | 5 + (−8) = 5 − 8 = −3 |
| Subtracting a negative is adding | 4 − (−6) = 4 + 6 = 10 |
| Same signs multiply or divide to positive | (−3) × (−7) = 21, and (−20) ÷ (−4) = 5 |
| Different signs give negative | (−3) × 7 = −21, and 20 ÷ (−4) = −5 |
Think of a number line: adding moves right, subtracting moves left, and a negative sign turns you around. An even count of negatives multiplies to positive; an odd count, negative.
AFOQT questions on this: Signed numbers · Powers of negative numbers