With - 2 3 times 12, is the answer positive or negative?

Question

With       -          2      3       times 12, is the answer positive or negative?

Helen House · Accepted Answer

There are three ways to write the fraction

- \frac{2}{3}

, all of which have the same meaning:

- \frac{2}{3} = \frac{- 2}{3} = \frac{2}{- 3}

They would all respond with the decimal value of -0.66666.
Only one warning sign is unfavorable, but it can be located anywhere.

- \frac{2}{3} \times 12 = - 8

\frac{- 2}{3} \times 12 = - 8

\frac{2}{- 3} \times 12 = - 8

The fraction implies that there will be a division by 3
You can also think of it as

\frac{- 2 \times 12}{3} = \frac{- 24}{3} = - 8

If there were two negative signs, the answer would be positive.

Kenny Turner · Accepted Answer

You can follow the steps from the question. Anytime a question instructs you to multiply two numbers, it means "x times y".

x \times y = x y

"Times" means to multiply.
Any whole number is understood to have a denominator of 1;

n = \frac{n}{1}

.

- \frac{2}{3} \times \frac{12}{1}

When multiplying fractions, add the denominators and the numerators together.

- \frac{2}{3} \times \frac{12}{1} =

- \frac{2 \times 12}{3 \times 1} =

- \frac{24}{3}

Simplify

- \frac{24}{3}

by dividing the numerator and denominator by 3.

- \frac{24 \div 3}{3 \div 3} =

- \frac{8}{1} =

-8.

With -2/3 times 12, is the answer positive or negative?