Follow a temperature change
Represent increases and decreases with signed numbers.
Supplied materials
- Paper or a note app.
- Fictional morning temperature: −4 °C. It rises 7 °C and later falls 5 °C.
Learn the idea
A negative number can describe a position below zero. A positive change moves toward greater numbers; a negative change moves toward smaller numbers. The sign of a change and the sign of the final temperature have different jobs.
Write changes in the order supplied and check with a number line. Crossing zero does not make a later decrease positive.
- Mark −4 on a number line or write it as the starting value.
- Move 7 units right for the rise.
- Move 5 units left for the fall.
- Compare the final value with a new case starting at −6 °C.
See the method in action
−4 + 7 = 3 °C; then 3 − 5 = −2 °C. The total change is +2 °C even though the final temperature remains below zero.
Check your reasoning
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See the answer and explanation
−1 °C
−6 + 9 = 3, then 3 − 4 = −1 °C. The total change is +5 °C; adding that change to −6 also gives −1.
Take it further
Use the same changes starting at 2 °C. Check that the final temperature is 7 °C, then describe the total change.
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Longer courses for learners ages 14+
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