Comments on: Quick Insight: Subtracting Negative Numbers https://betterexplained.com/articles/subtracting-negative-numbers/ Math lessons that click Tue, 02 Apr 2019 20:53:32 +0000 hourly 1 By: Anonymous https://betterexplained.com/articles/subtracting-negative-numbers/#comment-369804 Tue, 02 Apr 2019 20:53:32 +0000 https://betterexplained.com/?p=10322#comment-369804 It is a good idea/concept but if I explained it to my kids they would get confused.

]]> By: kalid https://betterexplained.com/articles/subtracting-negative-numbers/#comment-349259 Wed, 05 Sep 2018 21:53:00 +0000 https://betterexplained.com/?p=10322#comment-349259 In reply to Paul M.

Thanks Paul, I like it! Rewording positive/negative (sand, hole) and addition/subtraction (create, remove) helps it click. Creating or removing a hole is visceral vs. “add or subtract a negative”.

]]> By: Joylne Chan https://betterexplained.com/articles/subtracting-negative-numbers/#comment-349161 Wed, 05 Sep 2018 03:48:00 +0000 https://betterexplained.com/?p=10322#comment-349161 I still don’t get it…no wonder many can’t be bothered with math.

]]> By: Paul M https://betterexplained.com/articles/subtracting-negative-numbers/#comment-346808 Mon, 06 Aug 2018 11:07:00 +0000 https://betterexplained.com/?p=10322#comment-346808 Hi
Thanks for this explanation, I have been trying to explain this concept to my daughter who just didn’t get it. I have racked my brains trying to come up with a better method and think I have one.
If you explain using the concept of buckets and spades (or rather holes and sand to fill those holes) it makes a lot more sense.
So a 1 is represented by a lump of sand (enough to fill 1 bucket), a 2 is enough sand to fill two buckets etc.
A -1 is a hole that could be filled with the amount of sand it takes to fill a bucket, -2 is two holes etc etc.
zero is no holes and no lumps of sand. (ie a nice smooth level beach)
so the sum (-4) – (-2) can be explained by saying you have 4 holes and I am going to take two of them away, this would leave you with two holes hence -2
the sum (-4) + (-2) is like saying you have 4 holes and I am going to add two more so you will end up with 6 holes hence -6
it takes a bit of concentration but one they get it, it makes more sense.

]]>