Integers on the Number Line
Integers on the number line is a foundational Grade 7 skill in Big Ideas Math, Course 2, Chapter 2. Integers include all whole numbers and their negatives: …−3, −2, −1, 0, 1, 2, 3…. On the number line, positive integers lie to the right of zero and negative integers to the left. The absolute value of an integer is its distance from zero regardless of direction: |−5| = 5. Integers are ordered by position—a number farther right is always greater. Opposite integers (like 3 and −3) are equidistant from zero. This skill underpins addition, subtraction, and comparison of rational numbers throughout Grade 7.
Key Concepts
The positive whole numbers, the negative whole numbers, and zero make up a set of numbers called the integers. On a number line, integers are positioned with negative numbers to the left of zero and positive numbers to the right of zero. Numbers increase in value as we move from left to right on the number line.
Common Questions
What are integers?
Integers are the set of whole numbers and their negatives: …−3, −2, −1, 0, 1, 2, 3…. Zero is an integer but is neither positive nor negative.
How are integers placed on a number line?
Zero is at the center. Positive integers increase to the right and negative integers decrease to the left, spaced equally apart.
What is the absolute value of an integer?
Absolute value is the distance from zero on the number line, always non-negative. For example, |−5| = 5 and |5| = 5.
How do you compare two integers on a number line?
The integer farther to the right is always greater. So −1 > −4 because −1 is to the right of −4 on the number line.
What are opposite integers?
Two integers that are the same distance from zero but on opposite sides, such as 3 and −3. Their sum is always zero.
Why is understanding integers on the number line important for Grade 7 math?
It builds the foundation for adding and subtracting integers, comparing rational numbers, and working with coordinates in the coordinate plane.