Integer Rules

Rules of Integers

Rules for Adding and Subtracting Integers

• When two numbers are positive, the rules you have always used still apply.

• When two or more numbers that are negative, add the numbers together and keep the negative sign.

   (Example: - 5 - 7 = - 12)

• When you have one positive and one negative number, subtract the numbers and keep the sign of the larger number. (Example: - 10 + 3 = - 7)

• When two negative signs are right next to each other, replace the negative signs with a positive sign.

  (Example: -6 - (- 4) becomes - 6 + 4 = - 2)

  
  

Rules for Multiplying and Dividing Integers

• If two integers are positive, the answer will be a positive integer.

  Example: 2 x 5 = 10

• If two integers are negative, the answer will be a positive integer.

  Example: -2 x -5 = 10     -10/-2 = 5

• If there is one positive and on negative integer, the answer will be negative.

  Example: -2 x 5 = -10     or   2 x -5 = -10

• If you are multiplying or dividing more than two integers, if there is an even amount of negative integers, the answer will be positive.  If there is an odd amount of negative integers, the answer will be negative.

  Example: -2 x -2 x 5 = 20 because there are two negative integers.

  Example: -2 x -2 x -5 = -20 because there are three negative integers