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Here are some tips for Number Line, which aligns with New York state standards:

Number Line


This topic will be easier if you know how the positive number line works.
To review the Positive Number Line topic, see here.

This is a number line with both positive and negative values. Positive numbers are located to the right of 0 (zero) and negative numbers are located to the left of 0. The numbers increase from left to right.
For any number, everything to the right of it is always greater. Example: 0 is greater than -5.

Here is a number line that shows fraction or decimal values with negative numbers.

How do you determine the value of the red dot?
The red dot is between -7 and -8 on the number line so it has a fractional or decimal value.
This means the red dot is -7 +
The number of equal parts from one whole number to the next whole number is the number in the denominator.
This means the red dot is -7 +
The number of equal parts from -7 to the red dot is the number in the numerator.
Note: For negative numbers, we count to the left. For positive numbers, we count to the right.
This means the red dot is -7 +
So the value of the red dot is -73/4 or -7.75.


Example 1:

Choose one or more answers that represent the point in the number line

-286/5   -29.25   -29.2   -291/5   -291/4  

The red dot is between -30 and -29 so it has a fractional or decimal value.

-29 + ?/?
There are 5 equal parts between -30 and -29 and 5 equal parts between -29 and -28.
-29 + ?/5
There is 1 equal part from -29 to the red dot.
-29 + -1/5
So the red dot is -291/5.
Find the decimal value of the fraction: -291/5 = -29.2

Now let's figure out which boxes to check:

  Does -286/5 = -291/5? Yes! Simplify: -286/5 = -28 + -6/5 = -28 + -11/5 = -291/5
  Does -29.25 = -291/5? No -29.25 = -291/4
  Does -29.2 = -291/5? Yes! -29.2 = -292/10 = -291/5
  Does -291/5 = -291/5? Yes!  
  Does -291/4 = -291/5? No  
The answer is -286/5   -29.25   -29.2   -291/5   -291/4  

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