A negative number is a real number that is less than zero. It is written with a minus sign before the digits. On a number line, negative numbers appear to the left of zero, while positive numbers appear to the right. Examples of negative numbers include minus one, minus five, and minus one hundred.
Let's look at some specific examples of negative numbers. Negative one is written as minus one. Negative five is written as minus five. Negative ten is written as minus ten. And negative one hundred is written as minus one hundred. All of these numbers are less than zero and appear to the left of zero on the number line.
Negative numbers have many real-world applications. In temperature, we use negative numbers to represent temperatures below freezing, like minus ten degrees Celsius. In finance, negative numbers represent debt or losses, such as minus two hundred fifty dollars in a bank account. In geography, negative numbers show elevation below sea level, like minus two hundred meters. Negative numbers help us describe quantities that are less than a reference point.
When comparing negative numbers, remember these important rules. All negative numbers are less than zero and less than any positive number. Among negative numbers, the one closer to zero is actually larger. For example, negative one is greater than negative two, which is greater than negative three, and so on. On the number line, numbers become smaller as you move to the left and larger as you move to the right.
To summarize, negative numbers are real numbers that are less than zero. They are written with a minus sign before the digits and appear to the left of zero on the number line. Negative numbers have many practical applications in everyday life, from measuring temperature below freezing to representing debt or elevation below sea level. Understanding negative numbers is fundamental to mathematics and helps us describe quantities in the real world.