Multiply & Divide
About this exercise
Multiplying and dividing signed numbers.
Example problems
A few of the problems this exercise asks. The printable worksheet holds ten fresh ones.
- -9 · (-3) =
- -24 : (-3) =
- 10 · (-9) =
- 24 : (-3) =
Try it yourself first — open a section below only if you get stuck.
How to solve it
Treat the digits and the sign as two separate jobs. Multiply or divide the sizes first, then count the minus signs in the problem: an even count means plus, an odd count means minus.
Worked example
-36 : -6 carries two minus signs, an even count, so the answer is a positive 6.
Common mistake
Applying the addition rules here. In multiplication and division only the count of minus signs decides the sign, never which value is larger.