Negative Numbers

Negative numbers are numbers smaller than zero. They have a minus sign in front, like -3 or -10. On a number line, negative numbers are to the left of zero, and positive numbers are to the right. Negative numbers help us talk about things like cold temperatures or money owed.

Understanding Negatives

Think of a thermometer on a cold day. If the temperature drops below zero, we use a negative number like -5 degrees. The farther a negative number is from zero, the smaller it is. So -10 is smaller than -2. This can feel tricky at first.

A thermometer in the Arctic shows a very cold negative number.
A thermometer in the Arctic shows a very cold negative number. (U.S. Navy photo by Chief Mass Communication Specialist Shawn P. Eklund / Wikimedia Commons)

Using Negative Numbers

We use negative numbers in many places. In sports, a golfer who is 3 under par is at -3. In banking, a negative number can show how much money someone owes. Scientists use negative numbers to measure very cold temperatures and deep places below sea level.

Fun Facts

  • Ancient Chinese mathematicians used negative numbers over 2,000 years ago.
  • The lowest temperature ever recorded on Earth was about -128 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Adding two negative numbers gives an even more negative number.

Did You Know?

When you multiply two negative numbers together, the answer becomes positive.