Question

Indicate whether each product is positive or negative. positive negative –5(–17) –175(–3)(–4) –(–1)(16) –(–11)(–8)

Answer 1

To determine the sign of a product, use the rule that multiplying two negative numbers results in a positive product, while multiplying numbers with opposite signs results in a negative product. In the examples given, products of even numbers of negative factors are positive, and products with an odd number of negative factors are negative.

Step-by-step explanation:

The student's question involves determining the sign of the product of numbers, which is a basic multiplication concept in mathematics. To find out whether each product is positive or negative, we need to consider the rules for multiplying numbers:

• When two positive numbers multiply, the product is positive.
• When two negative numbers multiply, the product is positive.
• When the two numbers multiplied have opposite signs, the product is negative.

Let's apply these rules to the given examples:

1. −5(−17) = +85 because both numbers are negative, so the product is positive.
2. −175(−3)(−4) = -2100 because the number of negative factors is odd (three negative numbers), so the product is negative.
3. −(−1)(16) = +16 because the two negatives cancel out, making the product positive.
4. −(−11)(−8) = +88 because both numbers are negative, so the product is positive.