Negative numbers are numbers that are less than zero. When thinking about quantities, it is hard to visualize a negative number as it is impossible to have less than zero of something. The best way to initially think about negative numbers and to understand them is through measurement.
For example: Lets say a boat is on the surface of the ocean. We can say that the surface is the zero or starting point. Any height above the water is measured in positive numbers and any height below the surface is measured in negative numbers.
In the above picture we can see the bird is 40 ft above sea level. Our little orange fish however is at the -20 mark so we can translate that into 20 ft below sea level.
Comparing Negative and Positive Numbers
Negative numbers are tricky when comparing them because they follow the opposite rule of positive numbers. Here are some rules to follow:
- Positive Numbers are always greater than 0 and negative numbers.
- Negative Numbers are always less than 0 and positive numbers.
- When comparing two positive numbers, the number with the greatest absolute value (the furthest from zero on the number line) has the larger value
- When comparing two negative numbers the number with the least absolute value (the closest to zero on the number line) has the larger value.