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When a positive number is divided by a negative number, the outcome is a negative number. This is because division can be thought of as repeated subtraction. When you divide a positive quantity by a negative one, you are essentially determining how many times the negative number can be subtracted from zero without exceeding the positive number in magnitude, which leads to a negative result.

For instance, if you take the number 10 (positive) and divide it by -2 (negative), the calculation would yield -5. This result highlights that the property of signs in arithmetic dictates that a positive divided by a negative results in a negative outcome.

The concept of signs in division aligns with the rules of arithmetic: if two numbers have opposite signs, their product (and hence division as a form of multiplication by the reciprocal) will also have a negative sign. This principle is fundamental in understanding how numbers interact in arithmetic operations.