Numbers and operations · Ages 12–13
Directed numbers worksheet
Covers: Positive and negative numbers, Comparing directed numbers, Adding directed numbers, Subtracting directed numbers, Multiplying directed numbers, Dividing directed numbers, The four operations mixed, Using directed numbers
In the print window, choose “Save as PDF” to download it. The answers print on the last page.
Directed numbers worksheet
Numbers and operations · Ages 12–13
Numsprite
numsprite.com
Name:Date:Score:/48
Write each answer in the space. For word problems, show your working and write a sentence answer.
Part A: Working out and filling in (2 marks each)
1.−3, 0, −3, +1, +6: of these 5 numbers, are negative.
Answer:
2.−(+20) =
Answer:
3.Put these numbers in order, smallest first.
- A. 6
- B. −5
- C. −3
- D. 0
Write the letters in the right order
Answer:
4.33 + (−18) =
Answer:
5.(−6.2) + (−3.8) =
Answer:
6.(+11) − (−25) − (−30) =
Answer:
7.(−11) × (−12) =
Answer:
8.(−12) ÷ (−3) =
Answer:
9.An account holds $350, and $700 is taken out (it may go overdrawn, written as negative). What is the balance, in dollars?
Answer:
Part B: Choose, or true or false (2 marks each)
10.Which of these numbers is the largest?
- A. −0.8
- B. −34
- C. −1
- D. −25
Choose the right answer
Answer:
11.Which of these comes to −9?
- A. (−28) − 19
- B. 28 − (−19)
- C. 28 − 19
- D. (−28) − (−19)
Choose the right answer
Answer:
12.(−9) × (7 − 19) = 110
True or false?
Answer:
Part C: Word problems (4 marks each)
13.The ground floor G is written 0, and basement B3 is written −3. A lift going from B3 to floor 14 rises 16 floors.
True or false?
Working:
Answer:
14.In golf, par is 0 and fewer strokes is better. A is −5, B is −9, C is 0 and D is +6. Who comes first?
- A. D
- B. B
- C. A
- D. C
Choose the right answer
Working:
Answer:
15.East is positive and the start is 0. A cat walks −30, +150, −50 m: m in all, ending at m.
Fill in each blank
Working:
Answer:
16.A temperature goes from −14°C to −2°C. With a rise as positive, what is the change in degrees?
Working:
Answer:
17.A train passes a station at −6 m a second (east is positive). With "12 seconds ago" as −12, how far east was it?
Working:
Answer:
18.A mine's entrance is 190 m above sea level. A miner goes 50 m down from it. With sea level 0 and up positive, where is the miner now, in m?
Working:
Answer:
Show the answers and working
Directed numbers worksheet: Answers and working
Part A: Working out and filling in
1. 2
Only those with a minus sign are negative: 2 of them. 0 is neither positive nor negative.
2. −20
The minus outside the bracket means the opposite: the opposite of 20 is −20, flipped across 0 on the number line.
3. B → C → D → A
Read the number line left to right: −5, −3, 0, 6. Among negatives, further from 0 is smaller.
4. 15
Adding a negative moves left: 33 − 18 = 15. The sign is that of the number further from 0.
5. −10
Decimals work the same way: same signs, add the sizes and keep the sign; different signs, subtract them and take the sign of the one further from 0. The answer is −10.
6. 66
Turn each minus into adding the opposite: (+11) + (+25) + (+30) = 66.
7. 132
Same signs multiply to a positive: 11 × 12 = 132.
8. 4
Same signs divide to a positive: 12 ÷ 3 = 4. Check: 4 × (−3) = −12.
9. −350 dollars
350 + (−700) = −350. Taking money out makes the balance smaller; the $350 it held goes against the withdrawal rather than being added on. If more came out than there was, it is a debt, written as negative.
Part B: Choose, or true or false
10. D. −25
As decimals: 34 = 3 ÷ 4 and 25 = 2 ÷ 5; then see which is nearest 0. Among negatives, nearer 0 is larger.
11. D. (−28) − (−19)
Make each subtraction add the opposite: (−28) − (−19) = (−28) + 19 = −9.
12. False
7 − 19 is negative, and negative times negative is positive. Work it through and compare with 110.
Part C: Word problems
Marking: 2 for the working, 1 for the answer, 1 for the sentence.
13. False
From −3 to 14: 14 − (−3) = 14 + 3. Up 3 floors to G, then 14 more.
14. B. B
Fewer is better, so find the smallest: of −5 and −9, the one further from 0.
15. 230, 70
Distance ignores direction, so add them all: 230 m. Position counts direction: (−30) + 150 + (−50) = 70.
16. 12°C
Change = after − before: (−2) − (−14) = (−2) + 14 = 12. Both are below 0, so the sizes subtract, not add; getting colder is a fall, written as negative.
17. 72 m
(−6) × (−12) = 72. It is heading west, so 12 seconds ago it was 72 m east.
18. 140 m
With sea level as 0: 190 + (−50) = 140.
Numsprite · numsprite.com/en/worksheets/directed-numbers