Max Maths, Year 6, Try it, Finding the difference between positive and negative integers (1)

In a Year 6 mathematics exercise from Max Maths, students are asked to determine the difference in height between two months using a number line to visualise the change in river levels. Specifically, they explore the difference between the heights in June and August. The number line provided shows negative integers representing the river's height below the usual level. In June, the river is 2 meters below the usual level, while in August, it dips further to 7 meters below. By counting the steps back from June to August on the number line, students can easily see that there are 5 steps between them, indicating that the difference in height between these two months is 5 meters.

The exercise continues with a more complex task, where students are presented with a table that lists the river levels for each month of the year, with measurements given in meters. These levels are both above and below the usual level, indicated by positive and negative integers, respectively. Students are then asked to rearrange the table to display the river heights in ascending order. This exercise challenges students to understand and apply their knowledge of ordering integers and calculating differences between positive and negative values, enhancing their number sense and analytical skills in the context of real-world scenarios.