Negative/Negative

Date: 8/4/96 at 16:1:48
From: Jeffrey Paul Goins
Subject: Negative/Negative

Dear Dr. Math,

Why is a negative divided by a negative a positive?

Levi Goins

Date: 8/5/96 at 11:29:51
From: Doctor Anthony
Subject: Re: Negative/Negative

Why is a negative divided by a negative positive.

 Example:  (-10)/(-5) = +2

Consider (-10)/(-10)  We have a rule that anything divided by itself 
is 1. If this rule is to be consistent then (-10)/(-10) = 1.  So for 
our problem  (-10)/(-5) = 2*(-5)/(-5) = 2*1 = 2. For consistency of 
the rules we must have neg*neg = pos.

-Doctor Anthony,  The Math Forum
 Check out our web site!  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/