Negativity Nullified (or Negative Numbers Not Necessarily Being Negative!)

"-x" can actually be a positive number! How's that possible? Simple! If the value of the variable x itself is negative!

Here's what happens according to the math: If x = -1, then -(-1) = +1, making -x = +1. It's the plus-minus parentheses rule!  (Think of the 2 minuses & the opening parenthesis coming together to form a plus sign!) Also, the product of 2 negative real numbers is always a positive real number! (With imaginary numbers, 2 negative imaginaries give a negative real number, but a negative imaginary multiplied by a positive imaginary gives a positive real product, too!)

Looks like Yorkie here is getting as confused as you are, unless you're starting to get the idea!

Have you seen the Web page about the irrational number φ(Phi) yet? This number is also known as the Golden Ratio. It's approximately equal to 1.618; however, since it's irrational, there are no repeating patterns of digits after the decimal point! Also, if it was rational, the digits would eventually terminate; but they never do. (Padding zeroes after the decimal point are unconsidered since 1.0000... = 1, no matter how many zeroes you put afterwards.) What significance does this number have in this Web page, too? Well, let's consider another unique number you get by adding 1 to its additive inverse! Let's call that number Qi! 

-φ + 1 = œ (So this symbol "œ" will represent Qi.)

φ - 1 = -œ (However, negative Qi is technically positive because -œ = 0.6180339... (It's irrational, too, just like φ(Phi)!)

If you remember the plus-minus parentheses rule:

A - B = -(B - A) & -A + B = B - A (Which means that A - B = -(-A + B)!)

So, 1 - φ = œ

Positive Qi(œ) = -0.6180339... (The additive inverse of œ(Qi) is irrational as well!)

Notice how the value of the variable (œ(Qi)) is negative instead of positive. That makes -œ(Negative Qi) positive! Wonderfully weird, isn't it?

Here's an addition table about φ(Phi) & œ(Qi) to conclude the Web page:

The table above just tells you when you get a plus or a minus in the sum depending on whether there's a plus or a minus next to either irrational number! However, they're NOT additive inverses since their sum ISN'T zero(0)!

Miss Zero representing the number zero(0) again!

Plus, this fact about negative numbers vs. positive numbers still DOESN'T get falsified!:

If X > Y, then -X < -Y

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© Derek Cumberbatch