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## Arithmetic

### Unit 18: Lesson 2

Negative symbol as opposite

# Number opposites review

Review the opposites of numbers, and try some practice problems.

## What is the opposite of a number?

The opposite of a number is the number on the other side of 0 on the number line, and the same distance from 0.
Example:
start color #e84d39, minus, 5, end color #e84d39 is the opposite of start color #1fab54, 5, end color #1fab54.

## Ways to write the opposite of a number

We can write the opposite of a number using a negative sign.
Example:
The opposite of minus, 2, point, 2 can be written minus, left parenthesis, minus, 2, point, 2, right parenthesis.
Want to learn more about number opposites? Check out this video.

## Practice

Problem 1
What number is the opposite of minus, 524?

Want to try more problems like this? Check out these exercises: Number opposites
Number opposites challenge

## Want to join the conversation?

• Can there be negative fractions
(21 votes)
• yes no matter what kind of math there is always a negative
(13 votes)
• I agree it is for real kind of hard and easy at the same time
(23 votes)
• so that also means that the opposite of 0 is 0
(16 votes)
• Yes. 0 is neither positive nor negative; the number is "neutral". So, the opposite of the number 0 is simply 0.
(3 votes)
• what is the opposite of 657854093221
(8 votes)
• It is so strange how "0" doesn't have an opposite like -0
(12 votes)
• That's because if there was a 0 in the whole numbers world and a 0 in the decimal world, it would make sense, or at least for me it wouldn't.
(7 votes)
• what is a positive and a negative
(10 votes)
• A number is positive if it is greater than or equal to zero. A number is negative if it is less than or equal to zero.
Exsample of a negative number is : -3

Exsample of a positive number : 7

Does that help?
(10 votes)
• All videos have been great so far. But the videos about absolute numbers have not helped me much to pass the tests. I feel like I am back at school again when teachers stand over my head and wonder why I don't get it. All the other videos have been so good. :( I simply cannot get the info I need from the related videos

Is it just me? Or does anyone else share my experience with these particular videos?
(7 votes)
• OK. I'll help. Opposites are VERY weird but easy when you get the hang of it. Examples of opposites:
-123456789 is the opposite of 123456789.
0 is the opposite of 0
(2 votes)
• Question 4 doesn't make sense to me. Can someone help me, please.
(5 votes)
• Which part of the questions doesn't make sense to you?
(8 votes)
• what is negative?
(3 votes)
• Negative is a number below zero or to the left of zero
(3 votes)
• What is the negative of zero?
(4 votes)
• I think it's 0...but I'm not entirely sure.
(6 votes)