Solve Division Problem: 40 Divided by -2

Q: Why is the answer negative when I'm dividing 40 by 2?

Because you're dividing by negative 2, not positive 2! The sign of your answer depends on the signs of both numbers. $ \frac{40}{-2} = -20 $ while $ \frac{40}{2} = 20 $.

Q: How do I remember the sign rules for division?

Same signs = positive and different signs = negative. Since 40 is positive and -2 is negative, they have different signs, so the answer is negative.

Q: Can I think of this as a fraction?

Absolutely! $ \frac{40}{-2} $ is a fraction. You can rewrite it as $ -\frac{40}{2} $ which clearly shows the negative result: -20.

Q: What if the numbers were switched around?

If you had $ \frac{-40}{2} $, you'd still get -20! Remember: one negative and one positive always gives a negative result, regardless of which number is negative.

Q: How can I check my answer?

Use multiplication to check division: -20 × (-2) = 40 ✓. The fact that you get back to your original number (40) confirms your answer is correct!

Division with Negative Integers

Solve the following problem:

$\frac{40}{-2}=$

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Step-by-step written solution

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Understand the problem

Solve the following problem:

$\frac{40}{-2}=$

Step-by-step solution

Remember that we are dividing a positive number by a negative number, so the result must be a negative number.

We will divide both the numerator and the denominator by the highest number that both are divisible by.

In this case, the number is -2

We will divide the fraction as follows:

$\frac{40:-2}{-2:-2}=\frac{-20}{1}=-20$

Final Answer

$-20$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Sign Rule: Positive divided by negative always equals negative
Technique: Calculate 40 ÷ 2 = 20, then apply negative sign
Check: Verify -20 × (-2) = 40, confirming our answer ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Forgetting the sign rule when dividing
Don't ignore the negative sign and just calculate 40 ÷ 2 = 20! This gives a positive result when the answer should be negative. Always remember: positive ÷ negative = negative.

Practice Quiz

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Write the fraction shown in the picture, in words:

FAQ

Everything you need to know about this question

Why is the answer negative when I'm dividing 40 by 2?

Because you're dividing by negative 2, not positive 2! The sign of your answer depends on the signs of both numbers. $\frac{40}{-2} = -20$ while $\frac{40}{2} = 20$ .

How do I remember the sign rules for division?

Same signs = positive and different signs = negative. Since 40 is positive and -2 is negative, they have different signs, so the answer is negative.

Can I think of this as a fraction?

Absolutely! $\frac{40}{-2}$ is a fraction. You can rewrite it as $-\frac{40}{2}$ which clearly shows the negative result: -20.

What if the numbers were switched around?

If you had $\frac{-40}{2}$ , you'd still get -20! Remember: one negative and one positive always gives a negative result, regardless of which number is negative.

How can I check my answer?

Use multiplication to check division: -20 × (-2) = 40 ✓. The fact that you get back to your original number (40) confirms your answer is correct!

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