Final answer:
When multiplying or dividing numbers with the same sign, perform the operation and keep the result positive if both numbers were positive, or keep the result positive if both numbers were negative.
Step-by-step explanation:
When you have two numbers with the same sign that you need to multiply or divide, you multiply or divide the values while keeping the positive sign (for two positive numbers) or the negative sign (for two negative numbers).
- For example, for two positive numbers like 6 × 7, you simply multiply the values: 6 × 7 = 42, and the sign is positive.
- Similarly, for two negative numbers like -6 × (-7), you multiply the absolute values and the sign is positive: -6 × (-7) = 42.
The rules for addition and subtracting numbers with the same signs are similar, where you would add the values for two positive numbers, resulting in a positive sum, and add the values for two negative numbers, resulting in a negative sum.