Ordering Positive and Negative Numbers TopA Set of integers include all positive numbers, zero and all negative numbers, we come across all these Natural Numbers in our day to day life. When we look at different Positive and Negative Numbers, we are often confused, that which are greater and which are smaller. To understand the concept of ordering positive and negative numbers, we must clearly understand the concept of arranging the numbers on the number line. If we look at a number line, we observe that 0 ( zero ) lies in the Centre and the positive numbers lies on the positive side of zero of the number line and the negative numbers lie on the left of the zero. Now we observe that more we move to the right, the number goes on increasing. On other hand, the more we move towards left, the number goes on decreasing.
While moving to the right, we get the successor of the previous number and the more we move to the left, we get the predecessor of the first number. Thus moving from left to right we get –α ……..-5, -4, -3, -2, -1, 0 , 1, 2, 3 , 4 , 5, ……… α.
On observing the above given series, we find that all negative numbers are smaller than their positive values. Thus we have -4 < -3< -2< -1 < 0 < 1 < 2 < 3 < 4 < 5 …. and the series proceeds in the same way. More over we find that zero is neither a positive number nor a negative number. All negative numbers are smaller than zero and all positive numbers are greater than zero. This series of numbers is non -ending as any number how much longer it may be, it will always possess a successor and the predecessor.
