Integers

For 7 Grade Math

th

& Pre-Algebra
 What is an Integer?
• An integer is any whole number or its opposite.
• Integers are part of a group of numbers called “real
numbers.”

Integers can be positive (+) or negative (-).

-3, 1, 104, -76 : all these are integers!

 OK – so what’s an
opposite?
An opposite has the
same absolute value
but a different sign.

The opposite of 5 is -5.

The opposite of -7 is 7.
 OK – so what’s
absolute value?
Absolute value tells
how far a number is
from zero.

It tells how “big” the

number is without
considering the sign.
 Absolute Value
Absolute value is
always positive.

The symbol for

absolute value is
two vertical lines
around a number.
 Absolute Value
|-5| = 5
(Read: The absolute value of -5 is 5.)

|8| = 8
(Read: The absolute value of 8 is 8.)

|-13| = 13
(Read: The absolute value of -13 is 13.)
 IMPORTANT!!!
If a number does not
have a sign, it is
considered
POSITIVE.
A number with a plus
sign in front of it is
also considered
positive.
 Are all numbers
integers?
NO!! Only whole numbers or
the opposite of whole
numbers (negatives).

What can’t be an integer?

Numbers that have fractions
or numbers after a decimal
are not integers.
 Are all numbers
integers?
These numbers are not integers:

2/3 1.05 5 7/8

2.5 7/9

-- But they are still “real numbers.” You

can add, subtract, multiply & divide
them, but they are not integers.
Putting Integers in Order

Let’s look at a number line.

-6 -4 -2 0 2 4 6

Numbers get bigger (more

positive) as you go to the right
They get smaller (more
negative) as you go to the left.
Why do we even need
negative numbers?
Negative
numbers give
us a way to
talk about
how much
less than
zero
something is.
 Why do we even need
negative numbers?
Like on Jeopardy
when somebody
has no money and
then they lose
$500. Their score
is -500.
Or like when it gets
really cold outside,
negative numbers
tell us how far
below zero it is.
Other Ways to Use Negatives
• Direction (positive for east, negative for
west)

• Yardage lost in football

• Money (negative money is a debt)

• Altitude (negative altitude is below sea

level)

• Time (negative time is before an event,

positive time is after)
 Using < and >

Sometimes we need to use the

“greater than” and “less than”
symbols to compare two
numbers.

If you read the symbols from left

to right, it’s easy to remember
which symbol is which.
 Using < and >
If you come to the open
end first, say “greater
than.”

If you come to the pointed

end first, say “less than.”
 Using < and >
Practice with these:

8>3 -9 < -7

3<8 |4| <|-6|

-7 > -9 |-22|>|18|
 Adding Integers
When two numbers have the
same sign, the sum will also
have the same sign.

Positive + Positive = Positive

Negative + Negative = Negative

 Adding Integers
8 + 3 = 11 (or +8 + +3 = +11)

-7 + -10 = -17

3 + 19 = 22

-2 + -3 = -5
 Adding Integers
Adding integers with different
signs is a little more complicated.

You have to figure out which

number has the greatest absolute
value.
(That just means which number is
farther from zero.)
 Adding Integers
To add two numbers with
different signs, find their
difference (subtract) and
use the sign of the number
that has the largest
absolute value.
 Adding Integers

-10 + 3 = -7

15 + -4 = 11

8 + -13 = -5
Subtracting Integers

Instead of subtracting, we
want to always talk about
adding.
We are going to change all
our subtraction problems
to addition.
 Subtracting Integers
In any subtraction problem:

Change the minus to a plus

and change the sign of the
second number.

(We could also just say “add

the opposite.”)
 Subtracting Integers
9 - +3 = 9 + -3 = 6

-15 - +6 = -15 + -6 = -21

7 - + 12 = 7 + -12 = -5

-6 - -8 = -6 + 8 = 2

13 - -4 = 13 + 4 = 17
Multiplying & Dividing
Integers
There are only two kinds of
multiplying & dividing
problems:

• Integers with the same sign

• Integers with different signs
 Multiplying & Dividing
Integers
You have been multiplying &
dividing numbers with the
same sign for a long time!

Multiplying or dividing two

numbers with the same
sign always makes a . . .
Multiplying & Dividing
Integers
3 x 8 = 24

-3 x -8 = 24

50 / 2 = 25

-50 / -2 = 25
 Multiplying & Dividing
Integers
There is only one possibility
left for multiplying & dividing
numbers with different
signs.

Multiplying & dividing

numbers with different signs
always makes a . . .
Multiplying & Dividing
Integers
45 / -9 = -5

-12 x 5 = -60

-5 x 9 = -45

60 / -5 = -12