What does a positive or negative image height or image distance mean? To figure out what the signs mean, take the side of the mirror where the object is to be the positive side. Any distances measured on that side are positive. Distances measured on the other side are negative.

f, the focal length, is positive for a concave mirror, and negative for a convex mirror.

When the image distance is positive, the image is on the same side of the mirror as the object, and it is real and inverted. When the image distance is negative, the image is behind the mirror, so the image is virtual and upright.

A negative m means that the image is inverted. Positive means an upright image.