SOLUTION: Please help me with this algebra problem! If the value of a is positive, and the value of b is negative, is the value of the expression a-b/a*b positive or negative?

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Question 828584: Please help me with this algebra problem!
If the value of a is positive, and the value of b is negative, is the value of the expression
a-b/a*b positive or negative?
Found 2 solutions by josgarithmetic, MathTherapy:
Answer by josgarithmetic(39617) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Not certain what this is: a-b/a*b

As rendered, it would be a-b%2Fa%2Ab

Using the signs which correspond,(+)-(-)(-)/(+), or pos-%28neg%29%28neg%29%2F%28pos%29
which becomes
pos-pos%2Fpos
and finally
pos-pos.
The sign is inconclusive. You must know the absolute values of a and of bb%2Fa

Answer by MathTherapy(10552) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

Please help me with this algebra problem!
If the value of a is positive, and the value of b is negative, is the value of the expression
a-b/a*b positive or negative?


Is it asking too much to use PARENTHESES?

If %28a+-+b%29%2Fab, then: %28a+-+%28-+b%29%29%2Fa%28-+b%29____highlight_green%28%28a+%2B+b%29%2F%28-+ab%29%29

As seen, NUMERATOR will be positive (> 0), while DENOMINATOR will be negative, resulting in a

highlight_green%28negative%29 (< 0) expression.

You can do the check!! 



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