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Below Zero
Below Zero
Think of a thermometer: 0°C is freezing point, but temperatures can go BELOW zero. -5°C is colder than -2°C (even though 5 is bigger than 2). Negative numbers are numbers less than zero, and they follow special rules when you calculate with them.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
❌ Wrong: −3 + −5 = 2
✅ Right: −3 + (−5) = −8
Adding negatives makes the result MORE negative
❌ Wrong: 5 − (−3) = 2
✅ Right: 5 − (−3) = 8
Minus minus = plus: subtracting a negative = adding
❌ Wrong: (−3)² = −9
✅ Right: (−3)² = 9
Negative × negative = positive when squaring
❌ Wrong: −8 is bigger than −3
✅ Right: −8 is smaller than −3
On a number line, left = smaller, even with negatives
Now try it yourself
Quiz · Question 1 of 12
Which of these statements is true?
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