Grade 6 · Mathematics
Understanding positive and negative integers in Grade 6
Your child uses positive and negative whole numbers to describe positions above and below a meaningful zero.
Where this sits in the year
One skill in the Grade 6 constellation
A practical map of the math skills learners build through Grade 6. Exact timing varies by curriculum.
How it's taught now
Temperature, elevation, and account balances anchor integers on vertical and horizontal number lines before symbols are compared.
Three mistakes to watch for
Thinking a number farther from zero is always greater.
Treating the minus sign as subtraction in every context.
Forgetting that zero is neither positive nor negative.
A worked example
The temperature rises from -4°C to 3°C. How large is the rise?
Move four degrees to zero, then three more degrees to 3.
Answer: 7°C
Try this together
It is 3 degrees below zero this morning and 2 degrees above zero this afternoon. Which temperature is warmer?
Give them a moment to talk it through. The explanation matters more than a quick answer.