Rules for Dividing Integers An interactive guide to mastering integer division!

Rules for Dividing Integers

An interactive guide to mastering integer division!

The Four Key Rules

Positive ÷ Positive

Result is Positive (+)

24 ÷ 6 = 4

Negative ÷ Negative

Result is Positive (+)

(-15) ÷ (-3) = 5

Positive ÷ Negative

Result is Negative (-)

42 ÷ (-7) = -6

Negative ÷ Positive

Result is Negative (-)

(-10) ÷ 5 = -2

Simple Trick: If the signs are the SAME, the answer is POSITIVE. If the signs are DIFFERENT, the answer is NEGATIVE.

Visualize Division on a Number Line

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Why Dividing Two Negatives Makes a Positive

Think of division as asking a question: "How many jumps of a certain size do I need to take to get to my destination?"

Let's use the example: -8 ÷ (-2)

• Destination (Dividend): -8.
• Jump Size (Divisor): Jumps of size -2.
• The Question: "How many jumps of `(-2)` does it take to land on `-8`?"

It takes exactly 4 jumps to get from 0 to -8. The answer is the count of the jumps. Since a "count" is positive, the answer is positive. That's why the final red arrow points to +4!

Debt and Credits Analogy

Think of negative numbers as debts and positive numbers as credits.

When you divide -8 by -2, you're asking: "If I remove 2 units of debt, how many times can I do this to clear an 8-unit debt?"

The answer is 4 times - a positive result because removing debt is a good thing!

Test Your Knowledge!

What is the answer to:

Word Problem Example:

A temperature drops 15 degrees over 3 hours. What is the average change per hour?