Question

What is `(-5.5) xx( -4.87)`?

Answer 1

If the decimal point is giving you a problem do this.

`+ 26.785`

Explanation:

Before we start notice that both values are negative. When multiplying if the signs are the same the answer is positive. If not the same then we have a negative answer.

`color(brown)("In this case they are both the same sign so the final outcome is positive.")`

Note that `5.5` is the same as `55xx1/10`

Note that `4.87` is the same as `487xx1/100`

Putting it all together we have:

`55xx487xx1/10xx1/100`

`55xx487xx1/1000`
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
First work out the `55xx487` than after that apply the `xx1/000`

We can split op the 55 into 50 +5

`50xx487->24350`
`color(white)(5)5xx487->ul(color(white)(2)2435 larr" Add")`
`color(white)("dddddddddd") 26785`

Next and last step: `26785xx1/1000 = 26.785`

`color(brown)("The answer needs to be positive so the above does not need to be changed")`