Example 1 · level 1 — a gentle start
The temperature falls from 3°C to -5°C. By how many degrees does it fall?
- -8
- 8
- -2
- 9
Answer: 8 — From 3 to -5 is 8 degrees.
11+ negative numbers questions
Negative numbers comes up in the maths paper of every major 11+ format. Here is what the questions look like, the method that works under time pressure, and five worked examples with the full reasoning, from a gentle start to a hard paper.
Maths · examined by GL and CEM · 5 worked examples
What your child needs to know
- Below zero the numbers keep going: -1, -2, -3.
- To find the gap, count the steps along the line.
Where marks get lost: Adding a negative moves you left; subtracting one moves you right.
Worked examples
Every question below is generated by the same engine your child practises on, and every answer is derived by our checker rather than written by hand — which is why we can put them on a public page at all.
Example 2 · level 2 — typical of early practice
The temperature falls from 13°C to 6°C. By how many degrees does it fall?
- 8
- -7
- 19
- 7
Answer: 7 — From 13 to 6 is 7 degrees.
Example 3 · level 3 — standard paper difficulty
The temperature falls from 6°C to -4°C. By how many degrees does it fall?
- 10
- 11
- -10
- 2
Answer: 10 — From 6 to -4 is 10 degrees.
Example 4 · level 4 — a harder paper
The temperature falls from -4°C to -24°C. By how many degrees does it fall?
- 20
- -28
- -20
- 28
Answer: 20 — From -4 to -24 is 20 degrees.
Example 5 · level 5 — the level that separates candidates
The temperature falls from 14°C to 2°C. By how many degrees does it fall?
- 16
- 12
- -12
- 13
Answer: 12 — From 14 to 2 is 12 degrees.
How to practise this at home
- Work in short, frequent sessions. Ten minutes daily beats an hour at the weekend, because the recall gap is what builds memory.
- Insist on written working, even for questions your child can do in their head — under exam pressure the method is what survives.
- When an answer is wrong, ask them to explain their reasoning before you correct it. The error is almost always in one step, not the whole approach.
Practise negative numbers with a tutor that explains
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