Multiplying negative intergers?

It is verrrry complicated.

check out this question/answer letter if you really want to know HOW COME. http://mathforum.org/library/drmath/view/55717.htm...

otherwise just accept it as fact that

a negative times a negative equals a positive

a negative times a positive equals a negative

and a positive times a positive equals a positive.

To answer your question, you have to think of mathematics as a language. Just like any language, it is governed by rules or laws. Letters are assigned certain sounds and they have "rules" when combined with other letters. There is no rhyme or reason for this, someone just decided to make those rules. You understand what I wrote here because you understand the laws of English. This is the same with mathematics. It is governed by laws, some of which are absurd like multiplication of negative integers. There are no other explanation other than the fact that some mathematician decided one day that negative integers when multiplied will result in a positive integer. As long as someone else can prove otherwise, this law will stand.

I like this answer as good as any.

http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/faq.negxneg.html

its kind of like if you say you didnt not go to the store, that means you did go to the store