PartialMathematician

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Nota bene: positive means greater than 0, and negative means less than 0. Positive and negative real numbers do not include 0. If you wanted non-positive and non-negative, you need to restate your question. Otherwise, here is the solution. 

 

A) To have f(t) be positive, either \((t-4)\) and \((t+9)\) must both be positive or \((t-4)\) and \((t+9)\) must both be negative. In order to have (t-4)(t+9) be positive, since (t-4) < (t+9), we need (t-4) to be greater than 0. We have the inequality \(t-4>0\), which simplifies into \(t > 4\). We cannot have t = 4 because (4-4) = 0, and anything multiplied to 0 is 0 (which is not positive). We can also plug in some values of \(t\) and try them out. If t = 5, we have \((5-4)\cdot(5+9)\), which simplifies into \((1)\cdot(14)\), which is greater than 0. 

 

In order to have (t-4) and (t+9) to both be negative, since (t+9) > (t-4), we need (t+9) to be less than 0. We have the inequality \(t+9<0\), which simplifies into \(t<-9\). We cannot have t = -9 because (-9+9) = 0, and anything multiplied by 0 is 0. If we try t = -10, we have \((-10-4)\cdot(-10+9)\), which simplifies into \((-14)\cdot(-1)\). Since the minus signs cancel out each other, we are left with 14, which is greater than 0. 

 

Combining both inequalities \(t>4\) and \(t<-9\), we have the answer: \(\boxed{t<-9}\) or \(\boxed{t>4}\) (or \(\boxed{t \in (-\infty, -9)\cup(4, \infty)}\)in intervals). 

 

B) To have f(t) be negative, either \((t-4)\) is positive and \((t+9)\) is negative or \((t-4)\) is negative and \((t+9)\) is positive. If (t-4) is positive, then (t+9) must also be positive because (t+9) > (t-4), so we can eliminate the first scenario. Since (t+9) > (t-4), to have (t+9) be positive, \(t\) must be more than -9. We cannot have t = -9 because (-9+9) = 0, and anything multiplied to 0 is 0. \(t\) can also not be more than 4 because (t-4) would then equal 0 or be positive, which is not what we want. Combining the inequalities \(t>-9\) and \(t<4\), we have the answer: \(\boxed{-9 .

 

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- PartialMathematician

 

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