English Spanish

Multiplying and
2.3
Dividing Rational Numbers

How can you use

S
STATE operations with rational numbers in a story?
STANDARDS
MA.7.A.3.2
1 EXAMPLE: Writing a Story
Write a story that uses addition, subtraction
multiplication, or division of rational
numbers. Draw pictures
for your story.

There are many possible

stories. Here is an example.
Lauryn decides to earn
some extra money. She sets up a lemonade stand. To get
customers, she uses big plastic glasses and makes a sign
saying “All you can drink for 50¢!”
Lauryn can see that her daily profit is negative. But, she decides to keep
trying. After one week, she has the same profit each day.

Lauryn is frustrated. Her profit for the first week is

7(−5.75) = (−5.75) + (−5.75) + (−5.75) + (−5.75) + (−5.75) + (−5.75) + (−5.75)

= −40.25.
She realizes that she has too many customers who are drinking a second
and even a third glass of lemonade. So, she decides to try a new strategy.
Soon, she has a customer. He buys a glass of lemonade and drinks it.
He hands the empty glass to Lauryn and says “That was great. I’ll have
another glass.” Today, Lauryn says “That will be 50¢ more, please.” The
man says “But, you only gave me one glass and the sign says ‘All you can
drink for 50¢!’” Lauryn replies, “One glass IS all you can drink for 50¢.”
With her new sales strategy, Lauryn starts making a profit of $8.25 per
day. Her profit for the second week is
7(8.25) = (8.25) + (8.25) + (8.25) + (8.25) + (8.25) + (8.25) + (8.25) = 57.75.
Her profit for the two weeks is −40.25 + 57.75 = $17.50. So, Lauryn has
made some money. She decides that she is on the right track.

62 Chapter 2 Rational Numbers and Equations

English Spanish

2 ACTIVITY: Writing a Story

Work with a partner. Write a story that uses addition, subtraction,
multiplication, or division of rational numbers.
● At least one of the numbers in the story has to be negative and not
an integer.
● Draw pictures to help illustrate what is happening in the story.
● Include the solution of the problem in the story.

If you are having trouble thinking of a story, here are some common uses
of negative numbers.
● A profit of −$15 is a loss of $15.
● An elevation of −100 feet is a depth of 100 feet below sea level.
● A gain of −5 yards in football is a loss of 5 yards.
● A score of −4 in golf is 4 strokes under par.
● A balance of −$25 in your checking account means the account is
overdrawn by $25.

3. IN YOUR OWN WORDS How can you use operations with rational
numbers in a story? You already used rational numbers in your story.
Describe another use of a negative rational number in a story.

PUZZLE Read the cartoon. Fill in the blanks using 4s or 8s to make the
equation true.

( )( )
1 1 1
4. −— + −— = −—

( ) ( )
1 1 1
5. −— × −— = —
6

6. 1. (
× −0. ) = −1.
( ) ( )
3 3 1
7. −— ÷ — = −—
2

“Dear Mom, I’m in a hurry. To save

time I won’t be typing any 4’s or 8’s.” 8. −4. ÷ 2 = −2.

Section 2.3 Multiplying and Dividing Rational Numbers 63

 English Spanish

2.3 Lesson
Lesson Tutorials

Multiplying and Dividing Rational Numbers

Words To multiply or divide rational numbers, use the same rules for
signs as you used for integers.
Remember
Numbers
2
⋅ 13 −2 1
−— — = — = — = −— ⋅ −2 2
a b
The reciprocal of — is —.
b a
7 7 3 ⋅ 21 21

1 4 −1
−— ÷ — = — — = — = — = −— ⋅ 94 −1 9 ⋅ −9 9
2 9 2 2 4 ⋅ 8 8

EXAMPLE 1 Dividing Rational Numbers

1 1 1
Find −5 — ÷ 2 —. Estimate −5 ÷ 2 = −2 —
5 3 2
1 1 26 7
−5 — ÷ 2— = −— ÷ — Write mixed numbers as improper fractions.
5 3 5 3
−26
=— —
5 ⋅ 37 Multiply by the reciprocal of —.
7
3

=—
−26 3 ⋅ Multiply the numerators and the denominators.
5 7⋅
−78 8
= —, or −2 — Simplify.
35 35

The quotient is −2 —.
8
35
8
Reasonable? −2 — ≈ −2 —
35
1
2
✓

EXAMPLE 2 Multiplying Rational Numbers

⋅
Find −2.5 3.6.
−2.5
The decimals have different signs.
× 3.6
150
750
−9.0 0 The product is negative.

The product is −9.

64 Chapter 2 Rational Numbers and Equations

English Spanish

EXAMPLE 3 Standardized Test Practice

5
Which number, when multiplied by − —, gives a product
3
between 5 and 6?
1 1
A −6 B −3 — C −— D 3
4 4
Use the guess, check, and revise method.
Guess 1: Because the product is positive and the known factor is
negative, choose a number that is negative. Try Choice C .
1
( ) 5
−— −— = — = — ⋅
−1 (−5) 5
4 3 ⋅
4 3 12

Guess 2: The result of Choice C is not between 5 and 6. So,

choose another number that is negative. Try Choice B .
1
( ) 5 13
−3 — −— = −— −— = — = — = 5 —( )
5 ⋅
−13 (−5) 65 5
4 3 4 3 ⋅
4 3 12 12
5
5 — is between 5 and 6. So, the correct answer is B .
12

Multiply or divide.
Exercises 10 – 33 6
1. −— ÷ −—
5 ( ) 1
2
2.
1
( )
— ÷ −2 —
3
2
3
3. ( )
−—
1 3
2

4. 1.8(−5.1) 5. −6.3(−0.6) 6. (−1.3)2

EXAMPLE 4 Real-Life Application

An investor owns stocks A, B, and C.
Account Positions
What is the mean change in value of
Stock Original Value Current Value Change the stocks?
A 600.54 420.15 −180.39
B 391.10 518.38 127.28
C 380.22 99.70 −280.52

−180.39 + 127.28 + (−280.52) −333.63

mean = ——— = — = −111.21
3 3

The mean change in value of the stocks is −$111.21.

7. In Example 4, the change in value of stock D is $568.23.

What is the mean change in value of the four stocks?

Section 2.3 Multiplying and Dividing Rational Numbers 65

 English Spanish

2.3 Exercises
Help with Homework

1. WRITING How is multiplying and dividing rational numbers similar

to multiplying and dividing integers?

Find the reciprocal.

2 16 1
2. −— 3. −3 4. — 5. −2—
5 9 3

Tell whether the expression is positive or negative without evaluating.

−8.16
3
6. −— × −—
10 ( )
8
15
1
7. 1— ÷ −—
2 ( ) 1
4
8. −6.2 × 8.18 9. —
−2.72

6)=3
9+(- 3)=
3+(- 9)=
4+(- =
1)
9+(-

Divide. Write fractions in simplest form.

1 10. −— ÷ —
7
10
2
5
1
11. — ÷ −—
4 ( ) 3
8
8
12. −— ÷ −—
9 ( ) 8
9
1
13. −— ÷ 20
5
4
14. −2— ÷ (−7)
5
2
15. −10 — ÷ −4—
7 ( 4
11 ) 16. −9 ÷ 7.2 17. 8 ÷ 2.2

18. −3.45 ÷ (−15) 19. −0.18 ÷ 0.03 20. 8.722 ÷ (−3.56) 21. 12.42 ÷ (−4.8)

Multiply. Write fractions in simplest form.

2 3 22. −— × —
2
3
2
9 ( )
1
23. −— × −—
4
4
3
5
24. — −—
6 ( ) 8
15
25. −2 −1— ( ) 1
4

26. −3 —
1
3 ⋅ ( −2 —
10 )
7
27. ( )
−1—
2 3
3
28. 0.4 × (−0.03) 29. −0.05 × (−0.5)

30. −8(0.09) 31. −9.3 (−5.1)⋅ 32. −95.2 (−0.12) ⋅ 33. (−0.4)3

ERROR ANALYSIS Describe and correct the error.

✗ ✗
34. 35.
1 3 4 3 12
−2.2 × 3.7 = 8.14 − — ÷ — = −— × — = −— = −6
4 2 1 2 2

36. HOUR HAND The hour hand of a clock moves −30° every
1
hour. How many degrees does it move in 2— hours?
5
−30°
37. SUNFLOWER SEEDS How many 0.75-pound packages
can be made with 6 pounds of sunflower seeds?

66 Chapter 2 Rational Numbers and Equations

English Spanish

Evaluate.
38. −4.2 + 8.1 × (−1.9) 39. 2.85 − 6.2 ÷ 22 40. −3.64 ⋅ ∣ −5.3 ∣ − 1.5 3

5
41. 1— ÷ −— + −2—
9 ( ) ( )
2
3
3
5
3 5
42. −3 — × — − 2 —
4 6
1
3
43. −— ( ) ( )
2 2 3 1
3
− — 2—
4 3
3
44. OPEN-ENDED Write two fractions whose product is −—.
5

45. FENCING A farmer needs to

enclose two adjacent rectangular
2
pastures. How much fencing does
30 yd the farmer need?
9
5
50 yd
8

3
46. GASOLINE A 14.5-gallon gasoline tank is — full. How many gallons will it take
4
to fill the tank?
47. BOARDWALK A section of a boardwalk is made using 15 boards. Each board is
1
9 — inches wide. The total width of the section is 144 inches. The spacing between
4
each board is equal. What is the width of the spacing between each board?

48. RUNNING The table shows the changes in the times Teammate Change
(in seconds) of four teammates. What is the mean change?
1 −2.43
1 2 3 4 5
49. Consider (−2) , (−2) , (−2) , (−2) , (−2) , 2 −1.85
and (−2)6. 3 0.61
4 −1.45
a. Evaluate each expression.
b. What pattern do you notice?
c. What is the sign of (−2)49?

Add or subtract. SECTION 2.2

50. −6.2 + 4.7 51. −8.1 − (−2.7)

9
(
52. — − −2—
5
7
10 ) 53. −4— + −3—
5
6 ( ) 4
9

54. MULTIPLE CHOICE What are the coordinates of the y

4
point in quadrant IV? SECTION 1.6 A
3
A (−4, 1) B (−3, −3) C
2
1
D
C (0, −2) D (3, −3)
−4 −3 −2 O 1 2 3 4 x
F
−2
B E
−3
−4

Section 2.3 Multiplying and Dividing Rational Numbers 67