In (7.NS.A.2), the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics reads ‘Apply and extend previous understandings of multiplication and division and of fractions to multiply and divide rational numbers.’
- CCSS.MATH.CONTENT.7.NS.A.2.A
Understand that multiplication is extended from fractions to rational numbers by requiring that operations continue to satisfy the properties of operations, particularly the distributive property, leading to products such as (-1)(-1) = 1 and the rules for multiplying signed numbers. Interpret products of rational numbers by describing real-world contexts.