Numbers and place value · Ages 10–11

Differences across zero worksheet

Part of: Negative numbers

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Numbers and place value · Ages 10–11

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

13.A seagull flies 8 m above sea level and a fish swims 21 m below it. How much higher is the seagull than the fish?
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Answer:
14.Taking sea level as 0 m, diver A is at −26 m and diver B at −14 m. How far apart are they?
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Answer:
15.One day it was −12°C in Harbin and 23°C in Hong Kong. How many degrees warmer was Hong Kong?
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16.One day the lowest temperature was −11°C, and the highest was 16 degrees above it. What was the highest temperature?
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17.Ka-yan's dad parks the car on basement floor B3, and the family takes the lift up to floor 3. How many floors does the lift go up?
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18.Ka-lok's dad parks the car on basement floor B2, and the family takes the lift up to floor 13. How many floors does the lift go up?
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Show the answers and working

Differences across zero worksheet: Answers and working

1. 11 degrees
The minus sign means below 0. How far below 0 is −11°C?
−11°C is 11 degrees below 0°C, so it is 11 degrees lower.
2. 11 degrees
−8 and 3 are on either side of 0. Count in two parts: how far is it from −8 to 0, and from 0 to 3?
From −8 to 0 is 8 degrees, from 0 to 3 is 3: 8 + 3 = 11 degrees.
3. 13 degrees
−7 and 6 are on either side of 0. Count in two parts: how far is it from −7 to 0, and from 0 to 6?
From −7 to 0 is 7 degrees, from 0 to 6 is 6: 7 + 6 = 13 degrees.
4. 14 degrees
The minus sign means below 0. How far below 0 is −14°C?
−14°C is 14 degrees below 0°C, so it is 14 degrees lower.
5. 14 degrees
Read both thermometers first. If one is below 0°C and the other above, count in two parts.
A shows −5°C and B 9°C: counting the marks from the lower up to the higher, they are 14 degrees apart.
6. 9 degrees
−8 and −17 are both below 0. First see how far each one is from 0.
Both are below 0: take their distances from 0 away from each other, 8 and 17: 9 degrees.
7. 16
Read the two dots' numbers first. Count right from the smaller one; if they are either side of 0, count in two parts.
The dots are at −9 and 7: counting right step by step from −9 to 7, they are 16 apart.

8. A. 22
−10 is left of 0 and 12 is right of it. Count in two parts: −10 to 0, then 0 to 12.
−10 to 0 is 10 steps and 0 to 12 is 12: 10 + 12 = 22.
9. True
Which side of 0 is each of −1 and 8? Count −1 to 0 first, then 0 to 8.
−1 and 8 are on either side of 0: −1 to 0 is 1 and 0 to 8 is 8, so add the two parts.
10. B. 3
−2 is left of 0 and 1 is right of it. Count in two parts: −2 to 0, then 0 to 1.
−2 to 0 is 2 steps and 0 to 1 is 1: 2 + 1 = 3.
11. C. −11°C
The lowest is 20 degrees below 9°C. Count down from 9°C, going to 0°C first.
Count 20 down from 9°C: 9 to reach 0°C, then 11 more, to −11°C.
12. D. −7°C
The lowest is 11 degrees below 4°C. Count down from 4°C, going to 0°C first.
Count 11 down from 4°C: 4 to reach 0°C, then 7 more, to −7°C.

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

13. 29 m
Sea level is 0 m: the seagull is 8 m above 0 and the fish 21 m below. Draw an up-and-down number line to see the gap.
Sea level is 0 m: the seagull is 8 m above it and the fish 21 m below, 8 + 21 = 29 m apart.
14. 12 m
Both divers are below sea level. First see how many metres below each one is.
Both are below sea level: 26 m and 14 m below are 12 m apart.
15. 35 degrees
−12°C is below 0°C and 23°C above it. Count in two parts, starting with −12°C up to 0°C.
−12°C to 0°C is 12 degrees and 0°C to 23°C is 23: 12 + 23 = 35 degrees.
16. 5°C
The highest is 16 degrees above −11°C. Counting up from −11°C, how many degrees does it take to reach 0°C?
Count 16 up from −11°C: 11 to reach 0°C, then 5 more, to 5°C.
17. 6 floors
Count in two parts: how many floors from B3 up to G, and then from G up to floor 3?
B3 to G is 3 floors and G to floor 3 is 3: 3 + 3 = 6 floors.
18. 15 floors
Count in two parts: how many floors from B2 up to G, and then from G up to floor 13?
B2 to G is 2 floors and G to floor 13 is 13: 2 + 13 = 15 floors.

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