What is a negative number?
A negative number is a number that is less than zero. A negative number is written with a minus sign before the digits, e.g. -3, -15, -121.
Negative Numbers Year 5
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Positive and Negative Numbers
Positive and Negative Numbers
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Negative Numbers Year 5
A number line showing negative and positive numbers
Ordering negative numbers
When you order negative numbers, the larger the number after the negative sign, the smaller the number actually is.
Look at the number line above – this shows that -6 is smaller than -1.
Zero, and any positive number, are always larger than a negative number.
Comparing negative numbers
Numbers can be compared using the greater than (>) or less than (<) signs.
For example, we can write:
-4 < -2 -8 > -11 5 > -5 -25 < -10
(The open part of the sign always faces the larger number.)
Adding and subtracting negative numbers
A number line can be used to help us add and subtract negative numbers.
- Adding a negative number to a negative number (this always results in a negative number):
For example: -4 + -3 = -7
To add a negative number to a negative number, we move to the left on the number line.
- Adding a positive number to a negative number:
For example: -2 + 6 = 4
To add a positive number to a negative number, we move to the right on the number line.
- Subtracting a positive number from a positive number:
For example: 3 - 9 = -6
To subtract a positive number from a positive number, we move to the left on the number line.
- Subtracting a positive number from a negative number:
For example: -5 - 4 = -9
To subtract a positive number from a negative number, we again move to the left on the number line.
- Subtracting a negative number from a positive number:
For example: 6 - -2 = 8
To subtract a negative number from a positive number, we move to the right on the number line.
- Subtracting a negative number from a negative number:
For example: -4 - -6 = 2
To subtract a negative number from a negative number, we again move to the right on the number line.
When should children learn about negative numbers?
According to the National Curriculum Maths objectives, children start to learn about negative numbers in KS2. It is assigned as compulsory learning in the 'Number - number and place value' strand of learning.
In Year 4, children should be taught to:
- count backwards through zero to include negative numbers
In Year 5, children should be taught to:
- interpret negative numbers in context, count forwards and backwards with positive and negative whole numbers, including through zero
- solve number and practical problems that involve (all of) the above.
In Year 6, children should be taught to:
- use negative numbers in context, and calculate intervals across zero
- solve number and practical problems that involve (all of) the above.
