91Ó°ÊÓ

When two or more numbers are multiplied together, it gives a number. The numbers that are being multiplied are called the factors. And the result of the multiplication of numbers is called the product of those numbers.

For example, 30 is the product of 6 and 5.

$30=  6  ·  5$(The two factors are 6 and 5)

$26=  2  ·  13$(The two factors are 2 and 13)

RULE 1: The product of a positive integer and a negative integer is negative.

RULE 2: The product of two positive integers is positive.

RULE 3: The product of two negative integers is positive.

Rule: The product of a positive integer and a negative integer is negative.

Here the first factor 9 is positive and the second factor 17 is negative.

According to the rule, the product is negative. $9  (-  17  )  =  -  153$

The product of $9  \text{and}  (-  17  )$ is $ -  153$.