- x - = +?!?! How?

How do negative times a negative makes a positive I don’t get it?
Like : -2 x -3 = 6.

-2 x 3 = -6.

-3 x 2 = -6.

I don’t understand that. The logic just doesn’t make sense to me.

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I loved your question.

Imagine this as opposites: Let’s say you have a remote control car that goes at 2mph and you have an engine that makes it go twice as fast in the opposite direction. Let’s express that with math.

-2 * 2 = -4

Minus two represents the engine that doubles the speed in the opposite direction, the positive two represents the regular speed and then there’s the result.

What happens when you add the same engine but when going in reverse. Remember, think opposites, the special engine makes it move in the contrary direction:

-2 * -2 = -4

Our car is going at full speed on reverse now, which means it is going at 2mph backward (-2), because of our special engine that doubles the speed but forces it to go in the contrary direction (-2), our car would go forward (positive 4).

You can also think of this as double negations:

She never goes with nobody. = She always goes with someone.

They cancel each other to make a positive statement.

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Hey @Eugene1, that’s a great question!
I answered the same question in another thread, which you may find helpful.

If you’re still struggling to understand then do let us know. :slight_smile:

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