Evaluate (-4 × -3) + (-5).

• A. 7
• B. -7
• C. 12
• D. 5

Answer: (A)

The main idea is how signs interact with multiplication and addition, and doing the operations in the correct order.

First, multiply -4 by -3. A negative times a negative gives a positive, so -4 × -3 = 12. Then add the remaining term, which is -5. So 12 + (-5) is the same as 12 − 5, which equals 7.

Think of it on a number line: starting at 12, moving 5 steps to the left lands at 7. So the result is 7. The other numbers would come from mistakes like dropping the negative sign or misordering the operations, but with the proper signs and order, the result is 7.