Addison
Joined: 24th Mar 2009
Posts: 1380
 Re: Err, Math Help? lmao
Divine posted: (22nd Sep 2011, 03:44 am)
Addison posted: (22nd Sep 2011, 02:40 am)
Don't know if this has been solved because I didn't bother reading all the posts, so here is how I'll explain it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_line
First, you need to understand what negatives and positives mean. Positives are just regular numbers. For example, say someone gained $300. That's +300. Negatives are to the left of the number line. For example, say you had to pay $250. That would be represented as -250.
A little fun fact:
4 - 3 = 1
The 3 is actually a -3, and it assumes adding.
So it's the same as:
4 + -3 = 1
But the negative takes over so that's why we represent it as 4 - 3.
Next, there is no certain rule to tell if a answer is going to be positive or negative if you're adding.
But, there is a rule to tell if a answer is going to be positive/negative with multiplying and dividing.
Positive times/divided by a positive is a positive.
Negative times/divided by a positive is a negative.
Negatives times/divided by a negative is a negative.
4 * 4 = 16
4 * -4 = -16
-4 * -4 = 16
I think of it as two negatives makes a positive and that negative always takes over.
Your third rule is wrong, - times/divided - is a +
Oh wow, I was typing too fast. I wrote it correctly in the example though :P
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