I have to do translations, and it says change the x like this
y= (-x, y )
So, what if the X is already negative? Do I make it or positive or keep it negative?
Doesn't matter. If x is positive, -x is negative. If x is negative, -x is positive, but it's still -x.
I think you meant (x,y) = (-x,y).
The transformation given is not simply a translation -- it is a reflection through the y-axis. Just move the point an equal distance across the y-axis.
To determine what to do with a negative value of x when applying the translation, you need to consider the specific instructions given in your translation question.
In the given case, the instruction is to change x like this: y = (-x, y).
If x is already negative, applying the transformation as is will result in a positive value for x when calculating the new coordinates. By placing a negative sign in front of x, you essentially change the sign of the negative value, making it positive.
So, if x is already negative, you should make it positive when applying this particular translation.