Final answer:
The image with a magnification of -0.4 is inverted, smaller than the object, and virtual. It appears on the same side of the lens as the object and closer to the lens.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the magnification of an image is -0.4, this indicates that the image is inverted with respect to the object because the magnification is negative. Furthermore, since the absolute value of the magnification |m| is less than 1, specifically 0.4, the image is also smaller than the object. The negative sign in the magnification implies that the image is virtual, which is to say it cannot be projected onto a screen and is located on the same side of the lens as the object. In practice, this would mean if you have an object distance that is positive, and the image distance is negative, then the virtual image appears closer to the lens than the actual object. This concept is important in various applications, such as correcting visual impairments like nearsightedness.