In short: Negative numbers are numbers less than zero, and they sit to the left of zero on a number line. The further right a number is, the bigger it is, so is bigger than . Adding moves right and subtracting moves left.
Before you start
- Counting forwards and backwards on a number line.
- Difference means how far apart two numbers are.
The number line
Positive and negative numbers together are called directed numbers, because the sign shows a direction: right (positive) or left (negative).
The difference between two numbers
The difference is the distance between them on the number line. It is never negative.
Adding
Start at the first number. Adding a positive number means moving right.
Subtracting
Subtracting a positive number means moving left.
Longer chains
Work from left to right, one move at a time.
- Right is bigger
- Distance apart
- Across zero: add the sizes
- Move right
- Move left
- Temperature
- Floors below ground
- Money owed
Quick summary
- Negative numbers are less than zero and sit to the left of zero.
- Further right means bigger: is bigger than .
- The difference between two numbers is how far apart they are. Across zero, add the sizes.
- Adding moves right. Subtracting moves left.
- For a chain like , work left to right.
Quiz
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Try 3 questions now
What is the difference between and ?
- A
- B 8
- C 0
- D 16
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B: 8
From to 0 is 8 steps.
- A
- B
- C 2
- D 8
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C: 2
Start at and move 5 right: you land on 2.
- A 1
- B
- C
- D 5
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C:
Start at and move 3 left: .