Define the term Negative.?

Answer 1

hmm... in mathematics I would start with "less then zero".

We too often use 'negative' when the right term is 'inverse'.

Negative means something very different in chemistry and physics.

Answer 2

All the answers so far depend on the term positive being adequately defined.

I would say that negative is a comparitive adjective applied to an object. Such that under a suitable group operation x combined with negative x gives the identity.

Answer 3

A negative value is a minus value.

Example. Status - Total Money £100 Total Money Spent £110

New Status £10 negative or minus £10.

Also numbers below zero are negative numbers

Example 5 minus 7 equals minus 2 or negative 2




Hope this helps

Answer 4

Adjective
1. Characterized by or displaying negation or denial or opposition or resistance; having no positive features; "a negative outlook on life"; "a colorless negative personality"; "a negative evaluation"; "a negative reaction to an advertising campaign".

2. Reckoned in a direction opposite to that regarded as positive.

3. Having a negative electric charge; "electrons are negative".

4. Expressing or consisting of a negation or refusal or denial.

5. Having the quality of something harmful or unpleasant; "ran a negative campaign"; "delinquents retarded by their negative outlook on life".

6. (medicine) not indicating the presence of microorganisms or disease or a specific condition; "the HIV test was negative".

7. (mathematics) less than zero; "a negative number".

8. Designed or tending to discredit, especially without positive or helpful suggestions; "negative criticism".

9. Involving disadvantage or harm; "minus (or negative) factors".

Noun
1. A reply of denial; "he answered in the negative".

2. A piece of photographic film showing an image with black and white tones reversed.

Verb
1. Vote against; refuse to endorse; refuse to assent.

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.



Date "negative" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1550. (references)

Etymology: Negative \Neg"a*tive\, adjective. [French n['e]gatif, Latin negativus, from negare to deny. See Negation.]. (references)

Hope it helps

Answer 5

a number is said to be negative if the number is smaller than zero.

0 is not negative ( and not positive ) it is neutral
-1 is negative
1 is positive

Negative are also person that are always telling you all the posible ways that something will not work for instance if you want to go out , the negative will tell you but it is going to rain

Answer 6

negative means when a number is below zero or the oppostie of a positive.
forexample:
-7 is 7 less then zero and -1 is 4 less then 3

Answer 7

Sometimes you can say Im feeling a Negative energy, which means not a very good one, but mainly Negative means No, Not, Wrong. Opposite to Afurmative and Possitive.

Answer 8

The opposite of affirmative (no )

The charge associated with a cathode

Less than zero (a number with a minus sign in front of it)

A photographic plate (where the black looks white and vice versa, or the red looks turquoise)

Answer 9

Negative is a number less than zero.
e.g.:
<-2 -1---0---1--2--3-4-5----->

Answer 10

The term negative refers to the electrial charge of an anion. The basic negative charge is associated with the electron.