Understanding that negative numbers represent values below zero, using temperature as the primary context (e.g., -5°C means 5 degrees below freezing).
Where your child meets this in real life: Understanding weather forecasts in winter, freezer temperatures, or reports about cold countries
This topic isn't tested on its own, but it sits inside questions on tested topics. Each SEAG paper has 28 maths questions. Questions 29 to 50 are multiple choice with five possible answers, and questions 51 to 56 need a short written answer. With 56 questions in 60 minutes across English and maths, that is about a minute per question.
SEAGReady breaks understand negative numbers into 2 steps, taught in order so each skill builds on the last.
Understand that negative numbers represent values below zero (e.g., -5°C means 5 degrees below freezing)
Compare negative numbers correctly, understanding that -10 is less than (colder than) -5
Try three free questions from our understand negative numbers course. They start easy and get harder, so you can see where your child's confidence runs out. If they manage the last one without a hint, this topic is probably secure. If not, the steps above show where to start.
Jamie’s temperature reading is marked on the number line. How many degrees below freezing is it?
Poppy plots three freezer readings on the number line. Which temperature is coldest?
A science worksheet plots four labelled temperatures on the number line. Which temperatures are below freezing?
This is the exact interactive worked example your child sees in SEAGReady. Step through it and watch the method build up.
Mei checks a winter weather forecast. The thermometer shows the temperature is −5°C.
How many degrees below freezing is this temperature?
−5°C
Zero degrees (0°C) is the freezing point of water
Step 1 of 4
Mei checks a winter weather forecast. The thermometer shows the temperature is −5°C.
How many degrees below freezing is this temperature?
The temperature is 5 degrees below freezing.
The key insight: The minus sign means 'below zero' - think of going underground!
Common mix-up: Thinking −5°C is warmer than 0°C. Negative means below zero, so −5°C is actually colder than freezing point.
These are the misconceptions we see most often in understand negative numbers, including the ones our practice questions are specifically designed to catch.
Struggling with understand negative numbers? The real gap is often in one of these earlier topics.
Sitting the SEAG test this November? Read our last-month revision plan, Paper 1 vs Paper 2 and test day guide.
SEAGReady finds the exact step where your child gets stuck, teaches it with worked examples like the one above, and brings it back for review so it sticks.
Free to start · no card needed