Solve Division Problem: -500 ÷ 10 Step by Step

Q: Why is the answer negative when I'm just dividing numbers?

The answer is negative because we have a negative number divided by a positive number. The division rule states: negative ÷ positive = negative. Think of it as sharing -500 into 10 groups - each group gets -50!

Q: How do I remember which sign the answer should have?

Use the sign rules for division: Same signs (both + or both -) = positive answerDifferent signs (one + and one -) = negative answer Since we have different signs here, the answer is negative.

Q: Can I just ignore the negative sign and add it back later?

Yes! That's actually a great strategy. Calculate $ 500 ÷ 10 = 50 $ first, then apply the negative sign rule to get $ -50 $.

Q: How can I check if my answer is correct?

Use multiplication to check division! Multiply your answer by the divisor: $ -50 \times 10 = -500 $. If you get back to the original number, you're right!

Q: What if I accidentally get a positive answer?

Go back and check your signs! Remember: negative ÷ positive = negative. If you got +50, you forgot to apply the sign rule. The correct answer is $ -50 $.

Integer Division with Negative Numbers

Solve the following problem:

$\frac{-500}{10}=$

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Step-by-step written solution

Follow each step carefully to understand the complete solution

Understand the problem

Solve the following problem:

$\frac{-500}{10}=$

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, that number is 10

We will divide the fraction as follows:

$\frac{-500:10}{10:10}=\frac{-50}{1}=-50$

Final Answer

$-50$

Key Points to Remember

Essential concepts to master this topic

Sign Rule: Dividing negative by positive always gives negative result
Technique: Calculate $\frac{500}{10} = 50$ then apply negative sign
Check: Verify: $-50 \times 10 = -500$ ✓

Common Mistakes

Avoid these frequent errors

Forgetting the negative sign in the final answer
Don't calculate 500 ÷ 10 = 50 and forget the negative = +50 instead of -50! The negative number in the numerator must carry through to your final answer. Always keep track of signs throughout the entire calculation.

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 just dividing numbers?

The answer is negative because we have a negative number divided by a positive number. The division rule states: negative ÷ positive = negative. Think of it as sharing -500 into 10 groups - each group gets -50!

How do I remember which sign the answer should have?

Use the sign rules for division:

Same signs (both + or both -) = positive answer
Different signs (one + and one -) = negative answer

Since we have different signs here, the answer is negative.

Can I just ignore the negative sign and add it back later?

Yes! That's actually a great strategy. Calculate $500 ÷ 10 = 50$ first, then apply the negative sign rule to get $-50$ .

How can I check if my answer is correct?

Use multiplication to check division! Multiply your answer by the divisor: $-50 \times 10 = -500$ . If you get back to the original number, you're right!

What if I accidentally get a positive answer?

Go back and check your signs! Remember: negative ÷ positive = negative. If you got +50, you forgot to apply the sign rule. The correct answer is $-50$ .

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