Mathematicians of /sci/ I've been trying to figure this one out:
Ok so we all know multiplication is repeated addition right? 3x4 is 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 where the multiplicand (3) denotes the number the copies posses and the multiplier denotes the number of copies. We also know that because of the commutative property 4x3 is the same thing.
So what about negative multiplicands and multipliers? Could someone walk me through the concept?
If -4 x 3 is (-4) + (-4) + (-4) = -12 then 3 x -4 is 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 = -6 because a negative multiplier implies subtraction instead of addition correct? If not then we would get (-3) + (-3) + (-3) + (-3) = 12 if we move the multipliers negative to the multiplicand, but this would still give us a wrong answer of 12.
Am I overthinking this? Or have we just agreed that negative multiplication functions the way it does for easy use without an actual proof behind it? I have thought about this all day with no solution.
Ok so we all know multiplication is repeated addition right? 3x4 is 3 + 3 + 3 + 3 where the multiplicand (3) denotes the number the copies posses and the multiplier denotes the number of copies. We also know that because of the commutative property 4x3 is the same thing.
So what about negative multiplicands and multipliers? Could someone walk me through the concept?
If -4 x 3 is (-4) + (-4) + (-4) = -12 then 3 x -4 is 3 - 3 - 3 - 3 = -6 because a negative multiplier implies subtraction instead of addition correct? If not then we would get (-3) + (-3) + (-3) + (-3) = 12 if we move the multipliers negative to the multiplicand, but this would still give us a wrong answer of 12.
Am I overthinking this? Or have we just agreed that negative multiplication functions the way it does for easy use without an actual proof behind it? I have thought about this all day with no solution.
