I understand the rule, but the logic doesn't make sense to me. If I have a debt (minus), and I go into debt again (minus), why does that become a plus? Explain it in a way that actually makes sense.
Your debt example works differently - the two minuses aren't multiplied there, they're added together. Think of it this way instead: if you're moving backward (minus) and you turn around (second minus), you end up moving forward (plus). Or more simply: minus times minus is the cancellation of a cancellation, a double negation that becomes an affirmation.
Here's the thing: when you say "minus times minus," you're really talking about a change in direction. Imagine that minus is a 180-degree turn. If you're walking forward (plus) and you turn around once (the first minus), you're walking backward. If you're already walking backward and you turn around again (the second minus), you're facing forward again - that is, in the positive direction. The debt analogy doesn't work here, because debt isn't the same thing as a multiplier.
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