How can you tell they’ve got it: Sign Rules for Multiplication?

If they’ve got it, you’ll see things like: Apply the sign rules when multiplying two integers (positive × negative, negative × negative); Apply the sign rules when dividing two integers; Solve multi-step real-world problems involving all four operations with positive and negative rational numbers. Or just try it together: If your child knows that a negative times a negative makes a positive, can they use that rule to work out calculations like '−3 × −4 = 12' — and explain why it makes sense?

Mathematics Multiplication & Division Ages 11–13

Sign Rules for Multiplication

Your child knows a negative times a negative makes a positive. They can work out sums like −3 × −4 = 12 and explain why.

In curriculum terms

Multiply and divide with positive and negative integers and rational numbers, understanding the rules for the sign of the product or quotient

Ages are typical, not deadlines — follow your child’s pace. How to help at home →

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

Apply the sign rules when multiplying two integers (positive × negative, negative × negative)
Apply the sign rules when dividing two integers
Solve multi-step real-world problems involving all four operations with positive and negative rational numbers

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Try this together

If your child knows that a negative times a negative makes a positive, can they use that rule to work out calculations like '−3 × −4 = 12' — and explain why it makes sense?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on

Positive and Negative Numbersages 11–13Multiplying/dividing negatives requires adding/subtracting negatives first

Sign Rules for Multiplicationthis skill · ages 11–13

Unlocks

Nothing on the map depends on this yet.

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Where this fits in the official school curriculum — our best automated guess, not yet checked by a person.

Show candidate curriculum codes · 3 ACARA · 2 NSW · 3 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9M5A01medium confidenceYear 5 · Algebra

recognise and explain the connection between multiplication and division as inverse operations and use this to develop families of number facts

AC9M6A01low confidenceYear 6 · Algebra

recognise and use rules that generate visually growing patterns and number patterns involving rational numbers

AC9M5N02low confidenceYear 5 · Number

express natural numbers as products of their factors, recognise multiples and determine if one number is divisible by another

NSW syllabus codes & stages only

MA3-MR-01medium confidenceMathematics K-10 · Stage 3

MA3-MR-02low confidenceMathematics K-10 · Stage 3

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2M5A01medium confidenceMathematics · Level 5 · Algebra strand

VC2M5A02low confidenceMathematics · Level 5 · Algebra strand

VC2M6N05low confidenceMathematics · Level 6 · Number strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

Factors, multiples, and primesages 11–12 Ratioages 11–12 Using inverse operationsages 11–12 Brackets in Expressionsages 10–11

All Multiplication & Division skills →