Max Maths, Year 4, Work Book, Using negative numbers

In 'Max Maths, Year 4, Work Book', students are invited to delve into the world of negative numbers through a practical exercise involving thermometers. Practice 4 is specifically designed to help students understand and use negative numbers in a real-world context. They are presented with a series of thermometer illustrations, each marked with a scale ranging from -20° to 100°. The task at hand is to accurately label each thermometer with the given temperatures, which include a mix of both positive and negative values as well as zero degrees.

The temperatures to be labelled cover a broad spectrum, ensuring that students get ample practice with both negative and positive numbers. For instance, they will label temperatures such as a warm 25°, a freezing -10°, and an even colder -15°. They will also work with higher temperatures like 55° and 95°, and approach the extremes with 99°. Zero degrees, often a conceptual turning point for understanding negative numbers, is also included in the exercise, along with slightly warmer 5° and 20°, and a chilly -5°. This activity not only reinforces the concept of negative numbers but also aids in visualizing how temperatures can fall below zero, which is particularly useful in real-life situations such as reading the temperature during winter months.