Why is (2/10)/(-1/5)=-1 and not 0? 2/10=0.2 and -1/5=-0.2, right? I really can't wrap my head around this one..
I will try to answer you but I may not home in on exactly what your problem is so I would very much like you to respond to what I say :)
1) First / is a fraction line which is the same as divide.
for instance
\(2/3=\frac{2}{3 }=2\div 3\)
2) next, a positive number divided by a negative number is always negative.
\(\frac{2}{-3 }=2\div -3 = -\frac{2}{3}\)
3) Any number (including fractions and decimals) divided by itself is 1
For example:
5 divided by 5 means how many 5s go into 5 and the answer is obviously 1
4) When you divide some number by another then you are cutting the first one into peices.
So if you have a non zero number and you divide it by another number then the answer can NEVER be 0. That would be impossible! So the answer definitely cannot be 0.
5) I think you have division and subtraction muddled up. The 2 are totally different things.
2 divided by 2 = 1 whereas 2-2=0
NOW
\((2/10)/(-1/5)\\=\frac{2}{10}\div \frac{-1}{5}\\=0.2\div -0.2\\=-(0.2\div0.2)\\=-1\)
Think about all the points I have made. This is a conceptual problem you are having and hopefully what I have written will help you sort it out :)