Use your calculator to perform each calculation and observe the answers. Use inductive reasoning to determine which statement is true.
-$$\frac { ( - 3 ) \times 24 } { 8 \times 3 } ; \frac { ( - 14 ) \times 25 } { ( - 5 ) \times ( - 7 ) } ; \frac { - 3 \times ( - 40 ) } { ( - 2 ) \times ( - 12 ) \times ( - 7 ) } ; \frac { - 3.8 \times ( - 4 ) \times 1.3 \times ( - 5 ) } { ( - 9 ) \times ( - 9.4 ) \times ( 6.1 ) }$$ What is true about expressions containing products of nonzero numbers in both the numerator and denominator?
A)If the total number of negative numbers in the expression is odd, the result can be either negative or positive.
B)If the total number of negative numbers in the expression is odd, the result is negative.
C)If the total number of negative numbers in the expression is odd, the result is positive.
D)If the total number of negative numbers in the expression is odd, the result.is smaller than -1.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

When calculating expressions with both negative and positive numbers, if the total number of negative numbers is odd, the result is negative. This is because a negative number multiplied or divided by a positive number remains negative, and the product or quotient of an odd number of negative numbers is negative.

Use Your Calculator to Perform Each Calculation and Observe the Answers