How Numbers Came to Be The story of numbers began with natural numbers like 1 2 and 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next zero became the hero and whole numbers came to be 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Before long negatives needed a say so integers decided to come out to play 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 4
But these numbers were not enough so rational numbers came in to do their stuff 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 5 4 3 1 2 2 6 1 3 50 1 2 1 81 3 4 5 1 2 6 5.8 Next we will look and see what integers mean to you and me Check It Out Positive integers can be written with or without a positive sign Negative integers must be written with a negative sign 3 or 3 3 5
Positive and Negative Numbers Opposites here opposites there opposites are everywhere Up Down Open Closed Hot Cold 6
It’s even true that numbers have opposites too Zero separates positive and negative integers on the number line Opposites 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Negative Integers Positive Integers Opposite numbers are exactly the same distance from zero but in opposite directions 3 Units 3 Units 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
