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This worksheet is about ordering positive and negative numbers.

Think of a number line.

 

As you move to the left of a horizontal number line, the numbers get smaller.

 

Remember that:

< means "is smaller than"

> means "is bigger than"

 

So...

5 > -10

-53 < 53

-53 < -50

 

 

Example 1

Choose < or > to place between these pairs of numbers.

201
 
-163

 

Answer

201 is positive.

-163 is negative.

 

Positive numbers are always bigger than negative numbers.

So 201 is bigger than -163.

201
>
-163

 

 

Example 2

Choose < or > to place between these pairs of numbers.

-201
 
-163


Answer

-201 is negative.

-163 is negative.

 

Which is further to the left on the number line? 

-201 is more negative, so it is smaller than -163.

So -201 is smaller than -163.

-201
<
-163

10 questions