Question 218355
When they refer to a <u>non-zero</u> number, the they mean that the number is NOT zero (so it can be negative or positive as long as it's not zero).



Also, remember that the opposite of a positive number is negative. Conversely, the opposite of a negative is positive. Take note that neither opposite is zero.



So the question is: can you multiply a number and it's opposite to get zero if none of the numbers are zero? The answer is no. In order for {{{xy=0}}} to be true, {{{x=0}}} or {{{y=0}}} must be true. Since 'x' and 'y' are both non-zero, this means that {{{xy<>0}}}



So "The product of a non-zero number and its opposite is zero."  is NEVER true.