1.1.3

The Four Rules of Operations

Test yourself

The Four Rules for Positive Numbers

You should be able to calculate the sum, difference, product and quotient of numbers without using a calculator.

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Calculating the sum

  • Calculating the sum means adding two numbers together.
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Calculating the sum of several numbers

  • You can also calculate the sum of more than two numbers.
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Calculating the difference

  • Calculating the difference means subtracting one number from another.
    • E.g. 4 - 2 = 2
  • You may have noticed that the sum and difference are reverse functions of each other.
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Calculating the product

  • Calculating the product means multiplying two numbers together.
    • E.g. 3 x 3 = 9
  • To understand multiplication you need to have a good understanding of times tables.
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Calculating the quotient

  • Calculating the quotient means dividing one number by another number.
    • E.g. 9 ÷ 3 = 3
  • You may have noticed that the product and quotient are reverse functions of each other.

The Four Rules for Negative Numbers

You should be able to calculate: the sum, difference, product and quotient of negative numbers as well as positive numbers.

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Calculating the sum

  • When calculating the sum of two negative numbers, you go down the number scale away from 0.
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Calculating the product

  • When you multiply two negative numbers together, the product is positive.
  • But when you multiply one negative number by one positive number the product is always negative.
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Calculating the quotient

  • When both numbers in the division calculation are negative, the quotient is positive.
  • When one number in the division calculation is negative and the other is positive, the quotient is negative.
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Some tips

  • Calculating the sum and difference:
    • If the calculation's function (the + or −) is the same as the sign in front of the 2nd number in the equation, the answer will be positive.
    • If the calculation's function (the + or −) is different to the sign in front of the 2nd number in the equation, the answer will be negative.
  • Calculating the product and quotient:
    • If the numbers in the equation are either both positive or both negative, the answer will be a positive number.
    • If one number in the equation is positive and the other is negative, the answer will be a negative number.

Jump to other topics

1Numbers

2Equations, Formulae & Identities

3Sequences, Functions & Graphs

4Geometry

5Vectors & Transformation Geometry

6Statistics & Probability

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