Compute -9 ÷ 3.

Compute -9 ÷ 3.

• A. -9
• B. -1
• C. -3
• D. 3

Answer: (C)

Dividing a negative number by a positive number keeps the sign negative, and you use the magnitudes: 9 ÷ 3 = 3. So (-9) ÷ 3 = -3. Think of splitting -9 into 3 equal parts, each part is -3. The result must be negative and have magnitude 3, not 9 or 1, and not a positive 3. This aligns with the basic rule that a negative divided by a positive yields a negative, with magnitude found by 9 ÷ 3 = 3.

Dividing a negative number by a positive number keeps the sign negative, and you use the magnitudes: 9 ÷ 3 = 3. So (-9) ÷ 3 = -3. Think of splitting -9 into 3 equal parts, each part is -3. The result must be negative and have magnitude 3, not 9 or 1, and not a positive 3. This aligns with the basic rule that a negative divided by a positive yields a negative, with magnitude found by 9 ÷ 3 = 3.