Talk:Primary mathematics/Subtracting numbers

negative numbers
"You should not teach children negative numbers at a young age as there is no way to physically show them a negative number."

Is there any evidence for this? I would teach that a negative number represents an opposite. That if 5 means "steps to the right", then -5 means "steps to the left", and teach by giving a children instructions, such as "move 5", "move -5". ("Let's do the Time Warp again.")

I find that many calculus students do not understand negative numbers. This can only be because they are taught badly in K through 12. I want students to understand at an early age that a negative number represents an opposite.

Rick Norwood 15:14, 17 March 2008 (UTC)
 * Hello Rick, that is a good idea. Also from my point of view this seems good. Opens the horizon at an early age. Erkan Yilmaz uses the Wikiversity:Chat (try) 15:17, 17 March 2008 (UTC)