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Intro to Negative Numbers

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What you will learn from this videoWhat you will learn
- We’ll learn that positive numbers are greater than zero and negative numbers are less than zero.
- That opposite numbers are the same distance from zero, but on opposite sides of a number line.
- And we'll see that this knowledge can help us understand the weather, pay for things, and explore the globe.
- Discussion Questions
Before Video
Which temperature is better for going swimming: 0°C or 34°C? How do you know?ANSWER34°C, because it is warmer. 0°C is too cold.
Draw tick marks near the middle for 0 and to the right for 34, then put a dot on each one.
Draw a horizontal line with the numbers 15 through 20 from left to right, or a vertical line with the numbers 15 through 20 from bottom to top. Draw and label tick marks for each number.
15°C is 5°C cooler, because it is farther left (or lower) on a number line.
1°C; 0°C
After Video
What does the greater than symbol look like? How is it different from the less than symbol?ANSWERGreater than opens to the left (>), and less than opens to the right (<).
Both numbers are the same distance from zero, in opposite directions.
The second equation is true, because –3 is 3 units away from zero. The first equation cannot be true, because absolute values are never negative.
–12 is greater, because it is farther to the right on a number line. It is closer to zero on the negative side of the number line.
–6 < –1 < 0 < |2| < |–4|
- Vocabulary
- Positive number DEFINE
A number that is greater than zero.
- Negative number DEFINE
A number that is less than zero.
- Compare DEFINE
When you compare two numbers, you decide which number is greater and which is lesser.
- Number line DEFINE
A line, usually horizontal or vertical, with numbers placed in their correct position.
- Opposite numbers DEFINE
Two numbers that are the same distance from zero on opposite sites.
- Absolute value DEFINE
How far a number is from zero (i.e. magnitude without direction).
- Positive number DEFINE
- Reading Material
- Practice Word Problems
- Practice Number Problems
- Lesson Plan
- Teacher Guide