When multiplyingreal numbers, the product will be positive if the signs are the same and it will be negative if the signs are different.
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Same Sign & Different Signs
(+)(+)=(+) & (+)(-)=(-)
(-)(-)=(+) & (-)(+)=(-)In our case one number is positive and one number is negative, so the product will be negative.
Some important properties that can help us understand why the multiplication of real numbers works the way that it does are the Associative Property of Multiplication and the Commutative Property of Multiplication.
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Associative Property:& (a* b)* c=a* (b* c)
Commutative Property:& a* b = b * a
Let's look at how the Associative Property can help us understand the given exercise.