Eli5 Multiplying Negative Numbers

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I have always heard that multiplication is fast adding of the same number. This made sense until we got to negative numbers. Why would two negative numbers become a positive number when they are multiplied if it is indeed just adding the same number? I have asked several people this and never got a straight answer. Please help me!

In: Mathematics

6 Answers

Anonymous 0 Comments

Let’s say you and I are doing business. I sell you some items at some price. The value of the transaction would be amount * price. But what if instead of me selling you items, you sold me items? We can just make the amount negative. Suddenly the result of the equation is a negative value, which means money is going in the opposite direction.

But then, what if instead of buying items, it was a refund. The price goes from positive to negative, and money is flowing back in the original direction.

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