Negative Numbers (Year 5)

In Year 5, the third year in KS2, children will be exposed to negative, or minus, numbers in Maths. They should be able to count up and down in negative numbers, possibly with the aid of number lines, which will enable them to fill in gaps in a number sequence. They should also be able to perform some basic addition and subtraction problems involving negative numbers.

Negative numbers are shown with a minus sign directly before the number. For instance -10. Negative numbers are used for measuring temperature and also to denote a loss, such as a debt. On negative number lines, the sequence of numbers goes the opposite way to that on positive number lines. For example, in this sequence: -5, -6, -7, -8... etc.

See how much you know about negative, or minus, numbers by playing this quiz.