I know -1*-1=1 but what does that mean...... for example 3*2 means 2 is added 3 times so 3*2=2+2+2=6.

Question

anonymous · Answer

Is it just a base of mathematics like 0!=1

anonymous · Answer

few ways to look at it...  yeah that's the number line approach,  direction is implied  eg.:
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take a step of -2  2 times   (2*-2)

anonymous · Answer

=-4
take a step of -2  -2 times
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anonymous · Answer

=4

anonymous · Answer

another way is area...  we can think of area as negative, in a few different ways, like with an integral, area below the x axis is negative, or with a surface, inner surface of a closed curve is negative...  but for regular old everyday stuff   area is positive:
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