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DETERMINING IF A PRODUCT IS POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE
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The concepts for this exercise are summarized below.
For a complete discussion, read the text.
Recall the following properties of multiplication of signed numbers:
(positive)(positive) = positive
(positive)(negative) = negative
(negative)(negative) = positive
When more than two numbers are being multiplied, just count the number of minus signs:
any even number of minus signs collapses to a plus sign;
any odd number of minus signs collapses to a minus sign.
EXAMPLES:
The product (+)(–)(–)(+)(–) is negative (–).
In this example, there are 3 minus signs; 3 is an odd number.
The product (–)(–)(+)(–)(–) is positive (+).
In this example, there are 4 minus signs; 4 is an even number.
Input your answer as + or – .