Opposite of a number | Negative numbers | 6th grade | Khan Academy | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

The opposite of a number is a number that is the same distance from zero but on the other side of the number line.

Key Insights

• #️⃣ The opposite of a number is the number that is the same distance from zero but on the other side of the number line.
• ❎ The opposite of a positive number is negative, while the opposite of a negative number is positive.
• 🤘 The opposite of a number can be found by changing the sign while keeping the absolute value the same.
• 🫥 A number line can be used to understand and represent opposites.
• 🤘 Opposites have opposite signs but the same absolute value.
• 0️⃣ The opposite of zero is still zero.
• ❓ The concept of opposites is applicable to integers.

Transcript

• [Voiceover] What I want to do in this video is think about what it means to have an opposite of a number. Let me draw a number line here. Let's draw a number line. And let's put some numbers on this number line. We can start at zero, and if we go to the right we have positive numbers. One, two, three, four, five. As we go to the left we get more ... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the opposite of a number?

The opposite of a number is a number that is the same distance from zero but on the other side of the number line. For positive numbers, the opposite is negative, and for negative numbers, the opposite is positive.

Q: How do you find the opposite of a positive number?

To find the opposite of a positive number, you simply change the sign to negative while keeping the absolute value the same. For example, the opposite of 3 is -3.

Q: What is the opposite of a negative number?

The opposite of a negative number is a positive number. To find the opposite of a negative number, you change the sign to positive while keeping the absolute value the same. For example, the opposite of -4 is 4.

Q: Can you explain the concept of opposites using a number line?

Yes, a number line helps visualize the concept of opposites. Positive numbers are represented to the right of zero, and negative numbers are represented to the left. The opposite of a number is located on the opposite side of zero.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The opposite of a positive number is a negative number that is the same distance from zero but on the other side of the number line.

• The opposite of a negative number is a positive number that is the same distance from zero but on the other side of the number line.

• The opposite of a number can be found by changing the sign of the number while keeping the absolute value the same.