What is the result when dividing a positive number by a negative number?

When a positive number is divided by a negative number, the result is indeed negative. This occurs because division can be thought of in terms of the concept of sharing or distributing a quantity. If you take a positive quantity and share it among a negative number of groups, it’s akin to distributing that quantity in a direction opposite to what is considered 'positive.'

Mathematically, when dividing a positive number, such as 10, by a negative number, say -2, the operation can be represented as:

10 ÷ -2 = -5.

This means that the outcome will always carry the sign of the negative divisor, leading to a negative result. Furthermore, it’s important to note that the division in this scenario is well-defined, as it is not undefined like dividing by zero. Therefore, the result being negative is consistent with the rules of arithmetic regarding the signs of numbers in division.