Question

How do you multiply $ 7\times \left( -8 \right) $ ?

Answer 1

Hint: We multiply the coefficients of the given terms of 7 with $ -8 $ . The sign of the coefficient’s changes. We follow the multiplication process for signs and find the right sign for the multiplication. The main change is the change of sign from positive to negative and negative to positive

Complete step-by-step answer:
The given terms 7 and $ -8 $ are real integers. we need to simplify for the negative sign that is present in front of the term $ -8 $ at the time of multiplication.
We know that the use of negative sign for a term changes its value in the opposite direction. This means the use of a negative sign for a positive value changes it to a negative value. Also use of a negative sign for a negative value changes it to a positive value.
The trick is multiplying with $ -1 $ .
We can express the signs in this way $ \left( - \right)\times \left( + \right)=\left( - \right) $ and $ \left( - \right)\times \left( - \right)=\left( + \right) $ .
The individual terms 7 and $ -8 $ are positive and negative respectively.
7 is positive and $ -8 $ is negative.
Multiplication of these numbers is equal to the multiplication of 7 and 8 and then multiplying the result with $ -1 $ .
Therefore, the first multiplication gives $ 7\times 8=56 $ .
Then multiplying the solution with $ -1 $ gives $ 56\times \left( -1 \right)=-56 $ .
Final result being $ 7\times \left( -8 \right)=-56 $ .
So, the correct answer is “ $ -56 $ ”.

Note: The value of the coefficient’s changes. No value for the variable is changed due to the multiplication. The process of multiplication and division both work similarly. In case of division, we divide with -1, which is similar to multiplying with -1.