Welcome to a lesson on how to plot integers
on the number line.
In the first example, we are asked to plot
2, 4, -3, and -5 on the number line below.
Looking at the number line, positive integers
are always to the right of zero.
Negative integers are are always to the left
of zero.
Looking at the labels of this number line,
notice how we do have labels every unit.
The first integer to plot is positive 2.
Positive 2 is located two units to the right
of zero.
Starting at zero, we count right 2 units:
1, 2.
This is the location of positive 2 on the
number line.
And of course the label shows positive two.
Positive 4 is 4 units to the right of zero.
Starting at zero, we count right 4 units:
1, 2, 3, 4.
This is the location of positive 4 on the
number line.
The next integer is negative 3, which is located
3 units to the left of zero.
So starting at zero, we move left 3 units:
1, 2, 3.
This is the location of negative 3.
The finally, we have negative 5, which is
located 5 units to the left of zero.
Starting at zero we move left 5 units:1, 2,
3, 4, 5.
This is the location of negative 5 on the
number line.
In the next example, we're asked to plot the
numbers -2, 3, -9, and -14 on the number line
below.
So looking at the labels of this number line,
notice how there are labels every two units.
If we focus on the length from 0 to 2, again
this length is 2 units.
But notice how this length is cut or divided
into 2 equal sized parts or pieces by this
tick mark, which means the length between
tick marks is one unit.
So if it is helpful, we could add extra labels.
To the right of zero, we have 0, 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6.
To the left of 0, we have -1, -2, -3, -4,
-5, -6, -7, and so on.
And how to plot the integers, negative 2 is
located 2 units to the left of zero.
Starting at 0, we move left 2 units, so 1,
2.
This is the location of negative 2 on the
number line.
Next we have positive 3, which is located
3 units to the right of zero.
Starting at zero, we move right 3 units: 1,
2, 3.
This is the location of positive 3.
Next we have negative 9, which is located
9 units to the left of zero.
Starting at zero we move left 9 units so 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
This is the location of negative 9.
And finally we have negative 14, which is
located 14 units to the left of zero, which
is here.
I hope you found this helpful.
