Learning Map

Positive and Negative Numbers

Understand positive and negative numbers as describing quantities with opposite directions or values; use them in context such as temperature, floors in a building, and bank balances

How to tell they’ve got it

Tick these off as you see them — no test required.

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Try this together

If your child sees temperatures like −3°C and +5°C on a weather forecast, can they figure out how much warmer one day is than the other — even when the answer crosses zero?

Where this sits on the map

Stuck here? Check the skills it builds on first. Confident? Here’s what it unlocks.

Builds on
Measuring temperatureages 10–11Negative number arithmetic extends Y6 using negative numbers in context
Positive and Negative Numbersthis skill · ages 11–13
Unlocks
Fractions on a number line (age 11+)ages 11–12Ordering all number types (integers, decimals, fractions) on a number line extends the negative-number number-line representation
Numbers on a number lineages 11–12Absolute value requires understanding negative numbers on a number line
Sign Rules for Multiplicationages 11–13Multiplying/dividing negatives requires adding/subtracting negatives first

solid = must come firstdashed = helps

Curriculum alignment

Candidate matches to official curriculum codes — machine-suggested, unreviewed (v0.1).

Show candidate curriculum codes · 3 ACARA · 2 NSW · 3 VIC

Australian Curriculum v9 candidate

AC9M6N01medium confidenceYear 6 · Number

recognise situations, including financial contexts, that use integers; locate and represent integers on a number line and as coordinates on the Cartesian plane

AC9M6N09medium confidenceYear 6 · Number

use mathematical modelling to solve practical problems, involving rational numbers and percentages, including in financial contexts; formulate the problems, choosing operations and efficient calculation strategies, and using digital tools where appropriate; interpret and communicate solutions in terms of the situation, justifying the choices made

AC9M5N01medium confidenceYear 5 · Number

interpret, compare and order numbers with more than 2 decimal places, including numbers greater than one, using place value understanding; represent these on a number line

NSW syllabus codes & stages only

MA3-RN-01medium confidenceMathematics K-10 · Stage 3
MAO-WM-01medium confidenceMathematics K-10 · Early Stage 1, Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3

Victorian Curriculum 2.0 codes & levels only

VC2M6N01low confidenceMathematics · Level 6 · Number strand
VC2M5N01low confidenceMathematics · Level 5 · Number strand
VC2M5A01low confidenceMathematics · Level 5 · Algebra strand

These are candidate alignments generated by semantic matching — machine-suggested and unreviewed (v0.1), not official or verified mappings. For official curriculum content see australiancurriculum.edu.au, curriculum.nsw.edu.au and f10.vcaa.vic.edu.au. Don’t rely on them for registration or compliance purposes.

Nearby on the map

All Addition & Subtraction skills →