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Note that in the first stage we are dividing a positive number by a negative number:
Now the exercise is:
Since we don't know whether a is a positive or negative number, we cannot determine the sign.
It is not possible to calculate
What will be the sign of the result of the next exercise?
\( (-2)\cdot(-4)= \)
We can solve the first step! . But then we get , and without knowing if a is positive or negative, we can't determine the final sign.
Division by zero is undefined! If a = 0, the expression has no mathematical meaning, making the comparison impossible for that reason too.
Look for unknown variables that affect the final result. If the sign or value of your answer depends on information you don't have, then you can't complete the calculation.
The problem gives us 'a' as an unknown variable, not a specific number. Even if we knew a = 5 or a = -3, we'd still need that information stated in the problem to solve it.
The symbols >, <, = represent specific relationships. 'Cannot calculate' means we don't have enough information to determine which relationship is true.
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