Evaluate
-2(-4)(5)
The correct answer and explanation is :
Let’s break down the given expression step by step:
The expression to evaluate is:
[
-2(-4)(5)
]
Step 1: Identify the components
This expression involves three factors:
- (-2)
- (-4)
- (5)
The goal is to multiply these three values together.
Step 2: Multiply the first two numbers
First, we multiply (-2) and (-4).
Multiplying two negative numbers results in a positive product:
[
-2 \times -4 = 8
]
Step 3: Multiply the result with the third number
Now, we take the result from the previous step (which is (8)) and multiply it by the remaining factor, which is (5):
[
8 \times 5 = 40
]
Step 4: Final result
So, the value of the expression (-2(-4)(5)) is (40).
Explanation of the Process
- Multiplying two negative numbers: When multiplying two negative numbers, the product is positive. This is because the negatives cancel each other out. For example, (-2 \times -4 = 8), as we saw above. This is a basic rule in multiplication: multiplying two negatives results in a positive.
- Multiplying by a positive number: After obtaining the intermediate result of 8 from multiplying the two negative numbers, we then multiply this positive result by a positive number (5). This step follows the standard rule of multiplication, where multiplying a positive number by another positive number results in a positive product. Thus, (8 \times 5 = 40).
In conclusion, the result of (-2(-4)(5)) is (40), achieved by following the standard rules of multiplication and handling the signs correctly.