Question

-8 is ____ than 8 and -12 is ____ than -9.

(a) greater and smaller

(b) smaller and greater

(c) greater and greater

(d) smaller and smaller

This question was addressed to me in unit test.

My question is taken from Representation of Numbers on Number Line in chapter Rational Numbers of Mathematics – Class 8

Answer 1

Correct answer is (d) smaller and smaller

Easy explanation: When the numbers -8 and 8 placed on the number line -8 would be on the left side of 0 and 8 would be on the right side of 0. Hence -8 is smaller than 8. Similarly, for -12 and -9, -12 is smaller than -9. This is because as we go towards left on a number line the magnitude of the number increases but due to its negative sign it is smaller than the rest of the number to the right of that number.