Counting in Negative Numbers
Maths: Year 5 & 6 National Curriculum, topic 1.1.5
Counting in Negative Numbers
A negative number is a number that goes below zero.
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Don't forget 0
- When you count backwards below 1, you must remember to count zero as well.
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Counting backwards example
- Look at this sequence:
- 3, 2, 1, 0, −1, −2, −3, ...
- You can see that you must remember the zero.
- Zero is part of the sequence.
Using Negative Numbers
Negative numbers are very useful. One way that negative numbers are used is for temperatures that are below freezing.
Temperatures below freezing
- Water freezes at 0°C.
- Temperatures below freezing are all negative numbers.
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Temperatures
- This table shows some temperatures for a few days in February.
- The temperature on Wednesday and Friday were below freezing.
- I know that the temperature on Wednesday and Friday were below freezing because they are negative numbers.
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Using a number line
- You can use a number line to help you work out the difference between negative and positive numbers.
- The difference is how much one number differs from another number.
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Difference example
- The difference between the temperatures on Tuesday and Wednesday is 5°C.
- I have to make 5 jumps to go from 3°C to −2°C.
Test yourself on Counting in Negative Numbers
What is the difference in temperature between Saturday and Sunday?
What is the difference in temperature between Thursday and Friday?
What is the difference in temperature between Wednesday and Saturday?