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Cogito

Grade 7 Math · Chapter 5 · Lesson 1

Practice Worksheet

Why a Negative Times a Negative Is Positive

A pattern that has to keep going.

10 problems · about 19 minutes · 7.NS.A.2

NameDate

Figure — use these to answer the problems

Set the second number negative and watch the answer flip across zero.
-12-10-8-6-4-2024681012flip about 0-26
-2 × -3 = 6
Number-2
Multiply by-3
Figure 1

Warm-Up Review

From earlier lessons. Loosen up before the new work.

2 problems

  1. From “Signed Fractions and Decimals”

    −3.5 + 1.25 = ?

    Answer

  2. From “The Additive Inverse”

    −5 − (−8) = ?

    Answer

Warm Up

Straightforward practice. Get the method working first.

4 problems

  1. (−9) × (−3) = ?

    Answer

  2. Why is a negative times a negative positive?

    • Any other answer would break the pattern.
    • Because two minuses cancel.

  3. (−3) × (−5) = ?

    Answer

  4. (−8) × 2 = ?

    Answer

Build It Up

The same ideas with more to keep track of.

2 problems

  1. (−36) ÷ (−4) = ?

    Answer

  2. 20 ÷ (−5) = ?

    Answer

Stretch Yourself

Mixed problems. Work out what kind of question it is before you start.

2 problems

  1. The Product

    (−4) × (−6) = ?

    Answer

  2. The Other Product

    (−7) × 3 = ?

    Answer