Åk 6–9
  • Start
  • 1. Welcome to Negative Numbers
  • 2. Understanding Negative Numbers
  • 3. Addition and Subtraction
  • 4. Multiplication and Division
  • 5. Powers
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    English/Español
    2.3 Opposite Numbers
    Now we will look at numbers that are opposites. We begin by looking at some examples:
    • The Dead Sea lies 392 meters under sea level. The opposite level to this is then 392 meters above sea level.
    • Greg Raymer won 25 million in the Poker World Championships.  The opposite is losing 25 million.
    • If you walk 7 step to the left, then the opposite is 7 steps to the right.

    • In a race, the leader is 35 seconds before the others. The opposite is then being 35 seconds after.

    All positive numbers have an opposite negative number and every negative number, of course, has an opposite positive number. If we could show the examples from above as positive and negative numbers, it would look like this:

    -392
    and
    392
    -25 million
    and
    25 million
    -7
    and
    7
    -35
    and
    35

    All of these are examples of opposite numbers. We will talk about thes further on, but it it is a good idea that you are aware of them even now. This is what it looks like on a number line. The lines connect the opposite numbers.