How do you evaluate #-4\div -36#?

1 Answer
Dec 14, 2016

#-4/1 ÷ -36/1# = #-4/1 * 1/-36# = #-4/-36# = #4/36# = #1/9#

Explanation:

-4 can be rewritten as #-4/1# and -36 as #-36/1#. When dividing by a fraction you can multiply by its reciprocal, the reciprocal of #-36/1# being #1/-36#.

So you can multiply #-4/1 * 1/-36# = #-4/-36#. When dividing or multiplying two negative numbers they become positive. So #-4/-36# becomes #4/36#.

To simplify both sides can be divided by #4/4# which is equal to one. #4/4 = 1# and #36/4 = 9# so the answer is #1/9#.