Welcome to the Other Side of Zero
Negative numbers are values less than zero, located to the left of zero on a number line, while positive numbers sit to the right. In Grade 6 Saxon Math Course 1 (Chapter 2: Problem Solving with Number and Operations), students learn that zero is neither positive nor negative—it is the dividing point between opposites. Negative numbers model real-world situations such as temperatures below freezing, debt (owing money), and elevations below sea level. The number -5 is read as negative five and represents the opposite of +5; they are equidistant from zero.
Key Concepts
Property The points to the right of zero on a number line represent positive numbers . The points to the left of zero represent negative numbers . Zero is neither positive nor negative.
Examples A temperature of twenty degrees below zero is written as $ 20^\circ\text{F}$. An elevation of 300 feet below sea level is shown as 'elev. $ 300$ ft.' A drop in a stock's price by 2.50 dollars can be shown as $ 2.50$.
Explanation Think of zero as the ground floor. Positive numbers are floors going up in a skyscraper, and negative numbers are the secret basement levels going down! They help us talk about things like freezing temperatures, being below sea level, or when the price of a cool gadget drops in value.
Common Questions
What are negative numbers?
Negative numbers are values less than zero, written with a minus sign (e.g., -3, -7.5). They appear to the left of zero on a number line.
Is zero positive or negative?
Zero is neither positive nor negative. It is the neutral point that separates positive numbers (right) from negative numbers (left) on the number line.
What are real-world examples of negative numbers?
Temperatures below freezing (e.g., -10°C), bank account overdrafts (owing $50 = -50), and elevations below sea level (e.g., Death Valley at -86 m).
How are -5 and +5 related?
They are opposites. Both are 5 units from zero on the number line, but in opposite directions. Their sum equals zero: (-5) + 5 = 0.
Which is greater: -3 or -8?
-3 is greater than -8. On the number line, -3 is farther right (closer to zero) than -8.