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Below Zero

Part of the Numbers & Operations section of Coddy's Pre-Algebra journey. Lesson 10 of 57.

Numbers do not stop at zero. Below zero are the negative numbers, written with a minus sign: -1, -2, -3 and so on. You already know them from everyday life: a temperature of -3 degrees, a floor below the ground, an amount of money owed.

A number line shows them all in order. Zero sits in the middle, the positive numbers run to the right, and the negative numbers run to the left. The number -3 is three steps left of zero, while 2 is two steps right.

$Number line from -5 to 5 with -3, 0 and 2 marked$

-3 is three steps left of zero; 2 is two steps right.

The minus sign tells you the direction and the digits tell you the distance. That one picture is enough to explain everything this chapter does with negative numbers.

Challenge

Mark -6 and 4 on the number line, then press Check.

Start the lesson to read it in the interactive player and track your progress.

All lessons in Numbers & Operations

2Mental Math

Friendly Pairs Take Away the Total Recap: Mental Math

5Subtracting Integers

Add the Opposite Subtracting a Negative Plus and Minus in a Row Distance Between Numbers Recap: Subtracting Integers

8Square Roots

Perfect Squares Undoing a Square Roots in Expressions The Root Sign Groups Between Two Whole Numbers Recap: Square Roots

11Final Challenges

Final: Every Rule at Once Final: Roots and Powers Final: The Freezer Final: Over the Bar Final: On the Line

3Negative Numbers

Below ZeroOpposites Greater or Less Absolute Value Recap: The Number Line

6Multiplying and Dividing

Negative Times Positive Two Negatives Counting the Negatives Dividing Integers Zero in Division Recap: Multiply and Divide

9Putting It All Together

Powers Before Products Negatives Inside Negative Bases in Sums Everything at Once Recap: The Full Order