Which is the smallest -17 21 -47 or -6?

Answer 1

Here's how to figure these out. First, which is the biggest number (ignore the sign for now). Got it? Okay, now if it has a negative sign in front, that's your smallest number. In the list above, the biggest number does indeed have a negative sign, so it's your smallest. If it doesn't, then it's your biggest number. A negative sign turns your biggest into your smallest. The smallest number is either the positive number that is closest to zero in a list, or if the list has negative numbers, then it is the biggest negative number (that would make it the farthest away from zero).