Which value is greater negative20 or negative10?

Answer 1

Let's use a number line to help us with this question.

<---------0--------->

We know positive numbers get bigger as they go ------> this way, right?

<--------0 1 2 3 4 5 ...... ----->

If we look at negative numbers on the number line ...

< -10 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 >

Although the NUMBER itself gets bigger as it goes to the left <------

the value of the number actually gets smaller!

Think of it this way, is it better to owe someone 5 dollars or 10 dollars?

If you owe 5 dollars, you're better off than if you owed 10 dollars to your friend. You don't have to give them as much, so you're happier.

Just remember, negative numbers are the opposite of positive numbers. They behave in the opposite way that positive numbers do.

On the number line, the value the numbers get bigger as you go ----> and smaller as you go <----.

To answer your question, put -20 and -10 on the number line!

< -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5 10 15 20 > (I'll use multiples of 5, to make it easier to read)

Is -20 to the left, or to the right or -10 on the number line?

That's correct, -20 is to the LEFT of -10 on the line.

So what does this tell us, which number is greater in value?

Are you better off owing 20 dollars, or owing 10....?

-20 < -10

or

-10 > - 20