When multiplying two negative numbers, what is the sign of the product?

When two negative numbers are multiplied together, the product is always positive. This occurs because the multiplication of negative numbers can be thought of as a reversal of direction on a number line. Since the first negative number indicates a reverse direction, and the second negative number also indicates a reverse direction, the two reversals cancel each other out, resulting in a positive product.

To visualize this, consider the multiplication of -2 and -3. If you think of -2 as reversing the sequence of numbers two steps, and then -3 as reversing that sequence three steps, the combination of these two movements ultimately leads back to the positive sequence. Therefore, the product of -2 and -3 is 6, which is positive.

Understanding this concept is crucial, as it lays the foundation for more advanced mathematical operations involving integers and equations in algebra.