100. Multiplying and Dividing Integers

Learning Intentions

  • To understand that the product or quotient of two integers will be positive if the two integers have the same sign
  • To understand that the product or quotient of two integers will be negative if the two integers have opposite signs
  • Solve the product and quotient of two or more integers

Pre-requisite Summary

Worked Examples

Worked Example 1

Determine whether each result is positive or negative:

a)

b)

c)

Worked Example 2

Calculate each product:

a)

b)

c)

Worked Example 3

Calculate each quotient:

a)

b)

c)

Worked Example 4

Find each value:

a)

b)

c)

Worked Example 5

Find each value:

a)

b)

c)

Worked Example 6

Evaluate each expression:

a)

b)

c)

Problems

Problem 1

Determine whether each result is positive or negative:

a)

b)

c)

Problem 2

Calculate each product:

a)

b)

c)

Problem 3

Calculate each quotient:

a)

b)

c)

Problem 4

Find each value:

a)

b)

c)

Problem 5

Find each value:

a)

b)

c)

Problem 6

Evaluate each expression:

a)

b)

c)

Exercises

Understanding and Fluency

Exercise 1.

Decide whether each answer will be positive or negative:

a)

b)

c)

d)

Exercise 2.

Calculate each product:

a)

b)

c)

d)

Exercise 3.

Calculate each quotient:

a)

b)

c)

d)

Exercise 4.

Find each product of three integers:

a)

b)

c)

Exercise 5.

Find each quotient of three integers:

a)

b)

c)

Exercise 6.

Evaluate each expression:

a)

b)

c)

Exercise 7.

Write the sign, then calculate:

a)

b)

c)

d)

Exercise 8.

Complete the patterns:

a)

b)

Reasoning

Exercise 9.

Explain why is positive but is negative.

Exercise 10.

A student says that a negative number times a negative number must be negative because both numbers are negative. Explain the mistake.

Exercise 11.

Explain how you can predict the sign of before calculating the exact answer.

Exercise 12.

Noah says that . Is he correct? Explain your answer.

Exercise 13.

A student works out and says the answer must be negative because the first number is negative. Describe the error.

Problem-solving

Exercise 14.

A submarine changes depth by multiplying a scale factor of by a movement of . What is the result?

Exercise 15.

A game score changes by points in each round for rounds. What is the total change in score?

Exercise 16.

A temperature change of is shared equally across hours. What is the change each hour?

Exercise 17.

A business makes a loss of $ each day for days. Represent this with integers and find the total result.

Exercise 18.

A number machine multiplies by , then divides by . What is the result when the input is ?

Exercise 19.

A diver changes depth by multiplying . What integer result does this give, and is the result above or below zero?

Potential Misunderstandings

  • Students may think two negative integers always give a negative result
  • Students may confuse the sign rules for addition and subtraction with the sign rules for multiplication and division
  • Students may look only at the first sign and ignore the second sign
  • Students may forget that two integers with the same sign give a positive product or quotient
  • Students may forget that two integers with opposite signs give a negative product or quotient
  • Students may apply the sign rule correctly but make an error with the multiplication or division facts
  • Students may not realise that the sign can be determined before calculating the numerical part
  • Students may lose track of the sign when working with three or more integers
  • Students may think division with negatives follows a different sign rule from multiplication, when the pattern is the same
  • Students may not use brackets clearly, causing confusion about which number is negative

101. Order of Operations and Substitution