Answer: The answer should be -40.
Step-by-step explanation: A product is the result of multiplication and in cases like this, "less than" points to the mathematical operation of subtraction.
So when you see product, you automatically know the problem deals with <em>multiplication</em>. When you see less than, you automatically know the problem deals with <em>subtraction</em>.
The translation of this problem is 8 · -4 = x, then x - 8 = a (aka the answer).
First step is to find x, then to find a.
Note that a positive times a negative will give you negative. 8 times 4 is 32, but since 4 is a negative number here, the answer would be -32.
From this we can conclude that x is -32.
8 · -4 = -32, then -32 - 8 = a
Final step is to find a, which would be the result of -32 - 8.
-32 - 8 is -40 (Note: a negative minus a positive is basically addition in negatives. For instance, if we did -2 - 2, it'll give us -4.).
a = -40
Your answer is -40.
