Work through the examples below, then open Online Calculator to check your own numbers and practice the skill.
Negative numbers on a number line
Zero separates positive and negative numbers. Positive values appear to the right of zero; negative values appear to the left. The farther left a number lies, the smaller its value. Therefore −8 is smaller than −3, even though 8 is larger than 3.
Use negative numbers for temperatures below zero, debts, changes in elevation, accounting losses and positions relative to a reference level. Always name the unit: “negative five degrees Celsius” or “a balance of negative twenty dollars.”
How to say negative decimals
| Written | Read aloud |
|---|---|
| −2 | Negative two |
| −0.5 | Negative zero point five |
| −0.05 | Negative zero point zero five |
| −12.04 | Negative twelve point zero four |
| −0.001 | Negative zero point zero zero one |
In everyday speech “minus five” is also common for −5. “Negative five” is clearer when you are describing a number rather than performing a calculation.
A negative number versus subtraction
Compare 8 − 3 = 5 with 8 + (−3) = 5. These equal the same result, but the symbols have different jobs: subtraction is an operation; the sign inside parentheses identifies the second number as negative.
When entering a negative amount in a calculator, use the dedicated +/− or change sign key if provided. Otherwise enter a leading minus carefully. Keep parentheses when multiplying or raising negative values to powers.
Comparing and calculating with negatives
For temperatures, −2°C is warmer than −10°C because −2 is greater. With debts, a balance of −$100 is lower than −$20. To subtract a negative, turn the double negative into addition: 5 − (−3) = 5 + 3 = 8.
Multiplication follows sign rules: (−4) × 3 = −12, while (−4) × (−3) = 12. The same sign rules apply to division when both values are nonzero.
Practice the signs
Say −0.07 aloud. Which is larger, −0.2 or −0.8? Compute −6 + 9 and −4 × −5.
Answers: “Negative zero point zero seven”; −0.2 is larger; −6 + 9 = 3; and (−4) × (−5) = 20. Use the calculator homepage and the distance game for additional practice.
Common errors
Do not order negative numbers by their absolute digits alone: −100 is less than −2. Do not drop the zero when reading −0.05. Finally, remember that the absolute value |−7| is 7; absolute value describes distance from zero, not whether the original value was positive.
Frequently asked questions
Is −0.5 smaller than −0.05?
Yes. −0.5 is farther left on the number line and is ten times as negative as −0.05.
How do you pronounce −12.04?
“Negative twelve point zero four.” Keep the zero after the decimal point.
Is minus always subtraction?
No. A leading minus can indicate a negative number, while a minus between two values indicates subtraction.
Use Online Calculator to verify a new example, then try the related practice activities.