Max Maths, Year 5, Try it, Positive and negative numbers

The Max Maths material for Year 5 provides an engaging exercise on understanding positive and negative numbers through the context of a temperature scale. The task involves placing various temperatures on the scale to help students visualise and grasp the concept of temperatures above and below zero.

In the exercise, students are asked to identify where certain temperatures would fall on a scale that includes 20°C, 10°C, -10°C, and -20°C. For instance, 15°C would be positioned between 10°C and 20°C on the scale, representing a positive temperature that is warmer than 10°C but cooler than 20°C. Similarly, -15°C should be placed between -10°C and -20°C, indicating a colder temperature that is less than -10°C but not as cold as -20°C. The temperature of 0°C, which is the freezing point of water, is correctly positioned between 10°C and -10°C, serving as the midpoint where the temperature scale transitions from positive to negative values. This exercise not only solidifies the students' understanding of numerical order but also relates it to real-world applications such as reading temperatures.