(-4)(-1)(-3)

Question

HELP ME WITH IT PLEASE 

Answer 1

If you think of each negative number as the product of a positive number and (-1), it may make your situation a little easier.

 

For example, -4 = (4)(-1). So,

 

(-4)(-1)(-3) = (4)(-1)*(1)(-1)*(3)(-1).

 

The commutative property of multiplication tells us that we can change the order of the multiplication without changing the answer we will get, so we can place all the positive numbers together and all the negative numbers together¹. We will multiply the positive numbers together², and then multiply to negative numbers together³. Finally, we will multiply the two products together⁴. So,

 

1. (4)(-1)(1)(-1)(3)(-1) = (4)(1)(3)*(-1)(-1)(-1)

 

2. 4*1*3 = 12;  

 

3. (-1)(-1)(-1) = -1, because (-1)(-1) = 1 and when we multiply this by (-1) again, we get -1.

 

4. (12)(-1) = -12

 

So, the answer is -12.

Answer 2

Following order of operations, because all are multiplication, you would solve from left to right.

 

So first you would multiply (-4)(-1). Remember that multiplying two negatives makes the answer positive. So now you have the following...

 

(4)(-3). A negative and a positive make a negative.

 

So your answer would be -12.