Year 5 Maths: Negative Numbers

What are Negative Numbers?

Hello, Year 5! Today, we are going to explore negative numbers. Negative numbers are numbers that are less than zero. We often use them to represent temperatures below freezing, debts, or levels below sea level.

Understanding the Number Line

Imagine a number line. It looks like this:

 -------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------|-------       -3      -2      -1       0       1       2       3       4       5       6       7 

• The numbers to the left of zero (0) are negative.
• The numbers to the right of zero are positive.

Key Rules About Negative Numbers

1. Zero is Neutral: Zero is neither positive nor negative. It is like the starting point on the number line.
2. Less Than Zero: Any number smaller than zero is a negative number. For example, -1, -2, and -3.
3. Adding and Subtracting:
   • When you add a negative number, it’s like subtracting. For example, (5 + (-2) = 3).
   • When you subtract a negative number, it’s like adding. For example, (5 – (-2) = 7).
4. Multiplying and Dividing:
   • A negative number multiplied by a positive number is negative. For example, (-3 \times 2 = -6).
   • A negative number multiplied by a negative number is positive. For example, (-3 \times -2 = 6).
   • Dividing works the same way as multiplying.

Tips and Tricks

• Use a Number Line: When you’re not sure, draw a number line to help you see where the numbers are.
• Think of Temperature: If it’s 0 degrees and the temperature drops to -5 degrees, it’s 5 degrees below freezing.
• Practice Makes Perfect: The more you work with negative numbers, the easier they become!

Questions on Negative Numbers

Easy Level Questions

1. What is -1 + 1?
2. What is -3 + 2?
3. What is 0 – 5?
4. What is -4 + 4?
5. What is -2 – 3?
6. What is -1 – (-1)?
7. What is 3 – 4?
8. What is -5 + 5?
9. What is -2 + 6?
10. What number is 3 less than 0?
11. What does -7 + 7 equal?
12. Which is larger: -3 or -5?
13. What does -9 + 3 equal?
14. What is -6 + 6?
15. What is -10 – 2?
16. What is -4 + (-1)?
17. What is -1 + (-2)?
18. What is 2 – (-3)?
19. What is -8 + 8?
20. What does -5 – (-5) equal?

Medium Level Questions

1. What is -2 + (-3)?
2. What does 3 – (-4) equal?
3. What is -6 + 9?
4. What is -8 – 2?
5. What is -10 + 5 + 3?
6. What is -1 – 7?
7. What is -4 + 2 + (-3)?
8. What is -12 + 8?
9. What does -5 + (-5) equal?
10. What is 7 – 12?
11. What does -9 – (-4) equal?
12. What is -6 – (-2)?
13. What does -15 + 5 equal?
14. What is 8 – 15?
15. What is -3 – 6 + 2?
16. What is -4 + (-5) + 1?
17. What does -10 – (-10) equal?
18. What is -2 + 4 – 5?
19. What is -7 + 8 – 12?
20. What is -9 + 4 + 6?

Hard Level Questions

1. What is -4 x 3?
2. What does (-2) x (-5) equal?
3. What is (-6) x 4?
4. What is -15 + (-5) – 7?
5. What is -8 – (3 – 5)?
6. What is -12 ÷ 3?
7. What is -3 x -3?
8. Calculate -20 + (-15) + 5.
9. What is -25 + 10 – 5?
10. What is -7 x -2 + 3?
11. What is (-10) ÷ 2?
12. Calculate -12 x 2 + 6.
13. What is -5 + (-5) x 2?
14. What is -3 + 8 – 12?
15. Calculate -4 x 3 + 6.
16. What is -18 + 9 – (-3)?
17. What is -7 + 10 – 14 + 5?
18. What is (-4) x (-2) + 8?
19. Calculate -5 x 2 – 3 + 6.
20. What is -10 – (-5) x 3?

Answers and Explanations

Easy Level Answers

1. 0
2. -1
3. -5
4. 0
5. -5
6. 0
7. -1
8. 0
9. 4
10. -3
11. 0
12. -3 (because it is closer to zero)
13. -6
14. 0
15. -12
16. -5
17. -3
18. 5
19. 0
20. 0

Medium Level Answers

1. -5
2. 7
3. 3
4. -10
5. -2
6. -8
7. -5
8. -4
9. -10
10. -5
11. -5
12. -4
13. -10
14. -7
15. -7
16. -8
17. -10
18. -10
19. -16
20. -1

Hard Level Answers

1. -12
2. 10
3. -24
4. -17
5. -10
6. -4
7. 9
8. -30
9. -20
10. -11
11. -5
12. -30
13. -15
14. -7
15. -6
16. -12
17. -6
18. 8
19. -12
20. -5

I hope this lesson helps you understand negative numbers better! Keep practicing, and you’ll get the hang of it!