9514 1404 393
Answer:
Positive
Explanation:
If thinking in the abstract doesn't work well for you, choose a couple of values that match the description:
a > 0, choose a = 1
b < 0, choose b = -1
Now, the product is ...
-4ab = (-4)(1)(-1) = 4 . . . a positive product
__
The product will be positive when the total number of minus signs of the factors is even. Here, there are 2 minus signs, so the product is positive.