Understanding how to work with negative numbers can seem tricky, but we can find examples in real life to make it easier. Let’s go through some simple situations that Year 8 students studying the Swedish curriculum can relate to.

1. Temperature Changes

Think about temperature.

Imagine a chilly morning where it's $-3^\circ C$. If the temperature goes up by $5^\circ C$, we can figure it out like this:

$$-3 + 5 = 2$$

So, now the temperature is $2^\circ C$.

But what if it drops again by $4^\circ C$? We would do the math like this:

$$2 - 4 = -2$$

Now, the temperature would be $-2^\circ C$.

These examples show how we can add and subtract negative numbers in a way that’s easy to understand.

2. Elevation and Depth

Another good example is about how high or low things are, like mountains and lakes.

Imagine a mountain that is $300$ meters high and a lake that is $20$ meters below sea level. We can say the mountain is at $+300$ and the lake is at $-20$.

If a person hikes from the lake up to the mountain, we can show this as:

$$-20 + 300 = 280$$

This means they reach a height of $280$ meters above sea level.

This example helps us understand how positive and negative numbers work together when we think about height.

3. Financial Transactions

Money is another great example of negative numbers.

Let’s say you have $100 in your bank account. If you spend$150, your account balance will decrease to:

$$100 - 150 = -50$$

This means you now owe the bank $50.

Later, if you earn $70, you can find out your new balance like this:

$$-50 + 70 = 20$$

Now, your balance shows $20.

Seeing how this works with money helps students understand negative integers in real life.

4. Sports Scores

Lastly, let’s think about a sports game.

If a team starts with a score of $0$ and then has a penalty that takes away $2$ points, their score would be:

$$0 - 2 = -2$$

If they score $5$ points later, they can figure out their score like this:

$$-2 + 5 = 3$$

So now, the team has a score of $3$ points.

Conclusion

These everyday examples—temperature, height, money, and sports—help us see how negative numbers work in real life.

By exploring these situations, students can learn to handle negative numbers better and understand why they are important, both in math and in the world around us.