Basic math - the negative of any number is that same number but on the opposite side of zero. A negative of 2 is -2. A negative of -2 is 2 again.
In your x=-1 then put -(-x), the answer is correctly -1.
The two negatives basically cancel each other out. X was -1. -x flips it to 1. -(-x) flips it back to -1.
- Tab
At 07:46 AM 3/22/04, Peter Bochan wrote:
Hello,
In the Message Window:
x = -1 y = 1 put x,y -- -1 1
put -x -- 1 -- if I'm right, when two minuses collide, do they produce a plus? put -y -- -1
put -(-x) -- -1 -- if I get it right, the result is -1 because initially x is -1. So, in brackets we assign it to minus again, and it becomes a plus, but outside the brackets it is assigned to minus again. So my question is: how come? How come two minuses produce a plus? Or do I have to go to infants' school again? put -(-y) -- 1 -- same here. The initial value of y is +1. In the brackets it is assigned to minus, but outside the brackets two minuses collide and produce a plus again.
TIA peb965
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