Positive and Negative Rules

(quick reference) p.777-783

By Robert C. Gonzalez
CE Instructor, San Antonio College
Add and Subtract
SAME signs DIFFERENT signs

Add all the numbers
Subtract all the

and keep the sign. numbers and keep the
sign of the “bigger
number”

“bigger number” is an oversimplified way to say “the number with

the largest absolute value”.
Double Sign rule
SAME DIFFERENT
+ + or - - + - or - +

Change double sign
Change double sign

into a “+” (plus sign) into a “-” (subtraction
sign)
Multiply and Divide
SAME DIFFERENT

Neg * Neg = Positive Neg * Pos = Neg

Pos/ Pos = Positive Neg/Pos = Neg