Question

in class, matthew stated "i think that a negative is like an opposite. That is why multiplying a negative times a negative equals a positive. The opposite of negative is positive, so it is just like multiplying the opposite of a negative twice, which is two positives." Do you agree or disagree with this statement? What would you say in response to him?

Answer 1

I agree and I would say that he is pretty much right because like he said whenever you multiply negative by positive, you get negative and -9 and positive 9 are both 9 steps away from zero on the line, meaning they are opposites.