Concept 1 of 8Foundation
Watch on YouTubeVideoWhy do we need negatives?
Some things in life go below zero:
- Temperature in Shimla: –4°C means 4° below zero.
- A submarine at –300 m is 300 m below sea level.
- Your friend owes you ₹20 — that's –20 in their wallet, +20 in yours.
So we invent negative numbers. Together with positives and zero, they're called integers: … –3, –2, –1, 0, 1, 2, 3 …
Example
Owing ₹50 = having –50. Earning ₹30: –50 + 30 = –20. You still owe ₹20.
💡 Tip:Zero is neither positive nor negative. It's the 'neutral' point.
▶Prefer a video? Open YouTube search for “introduction to integers class 6 math”↗🎯 Try it!
5 questions to check what you just read.
0 / 5
- Q1.Temperature drops from 4°C to −3°C. How much did it drop?
- Q2.Which of these is an integer?
- Q3.Ram owes Shyam ₹150. How do we represent Ram's balance?
- Q4.Which number is neither positive nor negative?
- Q5.A building has 5 floors above ground and 2 basements. How many total levels labelled (including 0)?