Numbers and operations · Ages 12–13

Positive and negative numbers worksheet

Part of: Directed numbers

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Numbers and operations · Ages 12–13

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Write each answer in the space. For word problems, show your working and write a sentence answer.

1.What number is the arrow on the number line pointing to?
Answer:
2.−6, 0, +1, −6, −7: of these 5 numbers, are negative.
Answer:
3.−(+4) =
Answer:
4.Each step on this number line is 10. What number is the arrow pointing to?
Answer:
5.−(+6) =
Answer:
6.−3, 0, −3, +8, −4: of these 5 numbers, are negative.
Answer:
7.Sea level is 0. A plane is at +400 m, a submarine at −30 m. They are m and m from sea level, m apart.
Fill in each blank
Answer:
8.Each step on this number line is 10. What is the opposite of the number the arrow points to?
Answer:

13.Right is positive. A robot starts at 0 and goes −6, +22, −13 steps. What number does it stop on?
Working:
Answer:
14.The ground floor G is written 0, and basement B1 is written −1. A lift going from B1 to floor 7 rises 7 floors.
True or false?
Working:
Answer:
15.A lake's surface has a height of −420 m relative to sea level. Which statement is right?
- A. It is level with the sea
- B. The lake is 420 m deep
- C. It is 420 m above sea level
- D. It is 420 m below sea level
Choose the right answer
Working:
Answer:
16.Mean height 165 cm. A is +3, B −10. A is cm, B cm, and they differ by cm.
Fill in each blank
Working:
Answer:
17.Five months' results in $10,000s: +2, −5, +4, −7, +5. A loss in months; the best month is +.
Fill in each blank
Working:
Answer:
18.Four oranges differ from the standard weight as follows, in grams. Which is closest to the standard?
- A. −17 g
- B. +8 g
- C. −16 g
- D. +10 g
Choose the right answer
Working:
Answer:

Show the answers and working

Positive and negative numbers worksheet: Answers and working

1. −3
Count from 0 to the arrow: 3 steps, no more and no fewer. Right of 0 is positive, left is negative, so it is −3.
2. 3
Only those with a minus sign are negative: 3 of them. 0 is neither positive nor negative.
3. −4
The minus outside the bracket means the opposite: the opposite of 4 is −4, flipped across 0 on the number line.
4. −40
The arrow is 4 steps from 0. 4 only counts the steps; each is 10, so multiply: 4 × 10. Then see which side of 0 it is on: −40.
5. −6
The minus outside the bracket means the opposite: the opposite of 6 is −6, flipped across 0 on the number line.
6. 3
Only those with a minus sign are negative: 3 of them. 0 is neither positive nor negative.
7. 400, 30, 430
They are on opposite sides of sea level, so add: 400 + 30 = 430 m.
8. 40
The arrow is 4 steps of 10 from 0, so it points to −40. Its opposite is as far from 0 on the other side: 40.

9. D
−7 is negative, so it is left of 0, 7 steps away.
10. C. −85 m
Opposite directions take opposite signs: east is positive, so west is negative: −85 m.
11. C
−3 is negative, so it is left of 0, 3 steps away.
12. C. −14
How far from 0 depends on the size, not the sign: −14 is 14 from 0, further than the rest.

Marking: 2 for the working, 1 for the answer, 1 for the sentence.

13. 3
(−6) + 22 + (−13) = 3.
14. False
From −1 to 7: 7 − (−1) = 7 + 1. Up 1 floors to G, then 7 more.
15. D. It is 420 m below sea level
With sea level as 0 and up as positive, −420 m is 420 m below sea level.
16. 168, 155, 13
165 + 3 = 168 and 165 − 10 = 155. They are on either side of the mean, 3 + 10 = 13 apart.
17. 2, 5
Negative means a loss: 2 months. Of the positives 2, 4, 5, the largest is 5.
18. B. +8 g
The sign only says heavier or lighter. The closest is the one 8 g from the standard.

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