Number
Negative numbers
Teaching for mastery in
primary maths
Contents
Number: Negative numbers
Introduction3
01. Numbers below 04
02. Introduction to negative numbers
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03. Negative numbers5
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Number: Negative numbers
Introduction
Throughout these chapters, pupils explore what happens when they count back through
0. They use this knowledge to solve problems set in authentic contexts.
Previous work on number may have prompted pupils to ask questions such as, “Does the
number line go below 0?” or, “Why do we always seem to subtract the smaller number
from the bigger one?”.
In this topic, pupils will explore the concept of negative numbers. They will be expected
to solve simple problems that involve going forwards and backwards through 0 on the
number line, although they will work formally with the four rules at key stage 3.
Pupils will solve problems with real-life contexts, such as temperature and banking.
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Chapter 1:
Numbers below 0
In this chapter, pupils count backwards through 0.
While pupils have used number lines in previous chapters, they may not have seen one
with negative numbers. They may also have met problems they were unable to solve
because they weren’t sure what happened below 0.
Pupils should be introduced to the concept of negative numbers using the number line.
They count backwards through 0 to include negative numbers and solve simple problems
in this way.
Throughout this chapter, number lines should be presented in both horizontal and
vertical format. This will enable pupils to make connections with four-quadrant
coordinate work in later chapters.
Chapter 2:
Introduction to negative numbers
In this chapter, pupils interpret negative numbers in context and count both forwards
and backwards with positive and negative numbers.
Building on their learning from the previous chapter, pupils count forwards and
backwards from positive and negative whole numbers. They solve problems that require
them to count through 0, as well as ones that do not.
The majority of problems that pupils meet are given in the form of a real-life context.
They are expected to interpret negative numbers within these contexts. Take
temperature, for example. They may explore temperatures below 0 by working through
questions such as “If the temperature in a city decreases by 8oC, what is the new
temperature?”.
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Chapter 3:
Negative numbers
In this chapter, pupils solve problems in context, including those requiring them to
calculate the interval across 0.
Pupils solve increasingly difficult problems involving the use of negative numbers in
context. Unlike before, problems now include those requiring them to calculate intervals
across 0. They may, for example, work out the difference between the temperature in
two given cities.
In line with their learning about place value, pupils work with numbers up to 1 million.
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