Okay so this is a simple word problem;

we just look at consecutive pairs that have a negative product;

for 1,-3,2,5,-4,-6

we get product of pair 1 = 1*-3 = -3 (1 variation)

pair 2 = -3 * 2 = -6 (2 variations so far)

pair 3 = 2*5 = 10 (not a variation)

pair 4 = 5*-4 = -20 (3 variations so far)

pair 5 = -4*-6 = 25 (not a variation)

so the answer is 3 variations

not quite following you but Thank you