Count Below Zero

We're familiar with counting numbers when they are getting bigger.

 

0  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10  11...

 87  88  89  90  91  92  93  94...

82  84  86  88  90  92  94  96...

60  70  80  90  100  110  120...

 

All of the above are examples of counting up - the numbers increase as we go from the left to the right.

 

Of course, we can also count backwards.

When we count back the numbers decrease.

 

11  10  9  8  7  6  5  4  3  2  1  0... 

94  93  92  91  90  89  88  87...  

96  94  92  90  88  86  84  82...

120  110  100  90  80  70  60...

 

 

We're quite familiar with counting back to 0, but what happens when we go below zero?

When we count below zero we call the numbers negative numbers.

-4  -3  -2  -1  0  1  2  3  4  5

 

The numbers to the left of zero are all negative numbers.  

Can you see the negative symbol before each number ( - )

 

Although the digits are getting bigger (2, 3, 4), they are actually decreasing the further away from zero they move.

Remember, the - symbol indicates that the number is negative.

So, -4 is one less than -3

 

We can decrease in multiples of numbers in the same way we increase:

-8  -6  -4  -2  0  2  4  6...

 

Now it's time for you have a go at some questions, but remember you can come back to look at this page if you find them tricky by clicking on the red help button on the screen.