Dividing with negative numbers
Use the signs of the dividend and divisor to determine the sign of the answer.
- Divide the sizes of the numbers first.
- Matching signs give a positive quotient. Different signs give a negative quotient.
- Zero divided by a non-zero number is zero. Division by zero is undefined.
Example 1
Different signs
Evaluate the expression.
Example 2
Matching signs
Calculate the value of the expression.
Your turn
Question 1
Calculate.
Check answer
Different signs: negative.
Question 2
Calculate.
Check answer
Different signs: negative.
Question 3
Calculate.
Check answer
Matching signs: positive.
Question 4
Calculate.
Check answer
Different signs: negative. This is also −3.5.
Question 5
Calculate.
Check answer
Zero shared into a non-zero divisor gives zero.
Calculate.
Different signs: negative.
Calculate.
Different signs: negative.
Calculate.
Matching signs: positive.
Calculate.
Different signs: negative. This is also −3.5.
Calculate.
Zero shared into a non-zero divisor gives zero.