The Set of Integers
In Minneapolis, the temperature stayed within 5 degrees of $0\,^\circ\text{F}$ all day, and it was always warmer than $-3\,^\circ\text{F}$. Which whole-degree temperatures are possible? You already know what an integer is. Now you will treat integers as a set and combine conditions on them.
Integers and natural numbers
Integers are the whole numbers $0, 1, 2, 3, \dots$ together with their opposites $-1, -2, -3, \dots$. We write the set as $\mathbb{Z} = \{\dots, -3, -2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, \dots\}$.
Positive integers are greater than $0$ ($+3$ or just $3$). Negative integers are less than $0$ ($-3$). Zero is neither positive nor negative.
Integers describe two opposite directions from a starting point:
| Situation | Integer |
|---|---|
| Gaining 30 points | $+30$ |
| 12 feet below sea level | $-12$ |
| 3 degrees below zero | $-3$ |
| Two floors below the ground floor | $-2$ |
| The year 200 BC | $-200$ |
| Owing someone $\$7$ | $-\$7$ |
In a survival video game, your character's actions affect their experience points. Express the following situations with an integer: a) You find a chest and gain $450$…
In a survival video game, your character's actions affect their experience points. Express the following situations with an integer:
- a) You find a chest and gain $450$ points.
- b) An enemy defeats you and you lose $125$ points.
- c) You fall into a trap and your score drops by $50$ points.
- d) You complete a side quest and receive $80$ points.
State whether the following statements are true or false: a) The number $-7$ is a natural number ($\mathbb{N}$). b) All natural numbers are also integers ($\mathbb{Z}$).…
State whether the following statements are true or false:
- a) The number $-7$ is a natural number ($\mathbb{N}$).
- b) All natural numbers are also integers ($\mathbb{Z}$).
- c) The absolute value of a number is always positive or zero.
- d) The opposite of a negative number is always negative.
Match an integer to each of the following situations taken from the everyday life of a teenager: a) The balance on your transit card after having spent $\$5…
Match an integer to each of the following situations taken from the everyday life of a teenager:
- a) The balance on your transit card after having spent $\$5$ on trips and having a previous top-up of $\$2$.
- b) The position of an exploration submarine in a video game that is $150$ feet below sea level.
- c) The temperature at a ski resort that shows $4$ degrees below zero.
- d) The year in which the abacus is estimated to have been invented, approximately $500$ years BC.
- e) Taking the elevator in a shopping mall from the movie theater floor (floor $3$) to the parking lot located two floors below.
The number line
A number line places integers at equal spacing. Zero is in the middle, positive integers go to the right, and negative integers go to the left. Moving right means adding, and moving left means subtracting.
Read the scale before you read the points. Count the tick marks between two labeled numbers. Each mark might be $1$, $2$, or $5$.
Observe the following number line and state which integers correspond to the points marked with the letters $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$.
Observe the following number line and state which integers correspond to the points marked with the letters $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$.
Draw a number line in your notebook and represent the following integers on it: $$-5, \quad +3, \quad -2, \quad 0, \quad +1, \quad -4$$
Draw a number line in your notebook and represent the following integers on it:
$$-5, \quad +3, \quad -2, \quad 0, \quad +1, \quad -4$$You are in a very large shopping mall that has floors above and below street level (floor $0$). a) If you are on floor $-3$ and you go up $5$ floors, which floor are you…
You are in a very large shopping mall that has floors above and below street level (floor $0$).
- a) If you are on floor $-3$ and you go up $5$ floors, which floor are you on?
- b) If you are on floor $2$ and you go down $3$ floors, which floor do you reach?
Comparing and ordering integers
On a number line, the number farther to the right is greater. Drag the points below and watch which one is greater.
Some problems give temperatures in degrees Celsius ($^\circ\text{C}$), the unit scientists use. Nothing changes: the temperatures are still integers, and you compare them on the number line the same way. Just keep the unit in your answer.
Compare the following pairs of numbers using the signs $<$ (less than) or $>$ (greater than): a) $-8 \quad \dots \quad -2$ b) $+5 \quad \dots \quad -10$ c)…
Compare the following pairs of numbers using the signs $<$ (less than) or $>$ (greater than):
- a) $-8 \quad \dots \quad -2$
- b) $+5 \quad \dots \quad -10$
- c) $0 \quad \dots \quad -3$
- d) $-1 \quad \dots \quad +1$
Opposites and absolute value
Two integers are opposites if they are the same distance from $0$ but on different sides. The opposite of $5$ is $-5$, and the opposite of $-5$ is $5$. The opposite of $0$ is $0$. We write the opposite of $a$ as $-a$.
The absolute value of an integer is its distance from $0$. We write $|a|$. Distance is never negative, so $|a| \ge 0$ always. Some problems write the opposite of $z$ as $Op(z)$ and call the absolute value the modulus. They mean the same things as $-z$ and $|z|$.
When a problem nests the two ideas, work from the inside out. Evaluate $-|-7|$ first as $|-7| = 7$, then take the opposite to get $-7$. Compare with $|-(-7)|$: the inside is $-(-7) = 7$, and $|7| = 7$.
Calculate the absolute value and the opposite of the following integers: a) $-14$ b) $+21$ c) $-5$ d) $+9$
Calculate the absolute value and the opposite of the following integers:
- a) $-14$
- b) $+21$
- c) $-5$
- d) $+9$
Complete the following table in your notebook, filling in the empty gaps so that each row is consistent with the definition of an integer, its opposite and its absolute…
Complete the following table in your notebook, filling in the empty gaps so that each row is consistent with the definition of an integer, its opposite and its absolute value:
| Number ($z$) | Opposite ($Op(z)$) | Absolute value ($|z|$) |
|---|---|---|
| $-12$ | ||
| $+7$ | ||
| $5$ (If $z$ is positive) | ||
| $9$ (If $z$ is negative) | ||
| $Op(-3)$ |
Look at the following number line where several points have been marked with letters. Identify the integer that corresponds to each letter and, subsequently, calculate…
Look at the following number line where several points have been marked with letters. Identify the integer that corresponds to each letter and, subsequently, calculate the modulus of each of them.
Always, sometimes, or never?
A statement about "all integers" can be always true, sometimes true, or never true. To show a statement is not always true, you only need one counterexample: a single case where it fails.
Consider two integers $a$ and $b$. It is known that $a$ is a negative number and $b$ is a positive number. State whether the following statements are always true,…
Consider two integers $a$ and $b$. It is known that $a$ is a negative number and $b$ is a positive number. State whether the following statements are always true, sometimes true or always false, justifying your answer with an example:
- a) $|a|$ is always greater than $b$.
- b) The opposite of $b$ is always less than $a$.
- c) The absolute value of $a$ is always a positive number.
- d) $b$ is always greater than $a$.
Reason whether the following statements are true or false, providing a counterexample if they are false: a) If an integer $a$ is less than $b$, then the modulus of $a$…
Reason whether the following statements are true or false, providing a counterexample if they are false:
- a) If an integer $a$ is less than $b$, then the modulus of $a$ is always less than the modulus of $b$ ($|a| < |b|$).
- b) The opposite of the modulus of any integer (other than zero) is always a negative number.
- c) There is no integer whose modulus is equal to its opposite.
Distance between two integers
The distance between two integers is how many steps it takes to walk from one to the other on the number line. We write it as $|a - b|$.
Given the integers $a = -12$ and $b = +5$: a) Calculate the distance between them on the number line. b) Find the number $c$ that is exactly the same distance from $a$…
Given the integers $a = -12$ and $b = +5$:
- a) Calculate the distance between them on the number line.
- b) Find the number $c$ that is exactly the same distance from $a$ as from $b$. Is $c$ an integer? Justify your answer.
- c) If $d$ is a number such that $|d| = |a| + |b|$, what values can $d$ take?
A research submarine is at a depth of $-450$ feet with respect to sea level. It launches a vertical probe that ascends $125$ feet to take a sample, and then descends…
A research submarine is at a depth of $-450$ feet with respect to sea level. It launches a vertical probe that ascends $125$ feet to take a sample, and then descends triple what it had ascended.
- a) Express each of the movements and the final position of the probe using integers.
- b) Calculate the absolute distance between the initial position of the submarine and the final position of the probe.
Write the name of a historical figure who satisfies the following conditions: They were born in the year $x$, where $x$ is the opposite of $356$. They died in the year…
Write the name of a historical figure who satisfies the following conditions:
-
They were born in the year $x$, where $x$ is the opposite of $356$.
-
They died in the year $y$, where $y$ is an integer such that $|y| = 323$ and $y < 0$.
-
Calculate how many years this figure lived knowing that there is no year zero in the Gregorian calendar (it goes from 1 BC to 1 AD).
Ordering integers from opposites and absolute values
When a list mixes plain integers with opposites and absolute values, first simplify each one to a single integer. Then order the results.
Order the following numbers from smallest to largest, placing the negative values first and using the corresponding inequality signs: $$|-7|, \quad +3, \quad Op(-5),…
Order the following numbers from smallest to largest, placing the negative values first and using the corresponding inequality signs:
$$|-7|, \quad +3, \quad Op(-5), \quad -4, \quad 0, \quad Op(+8), \quad -1, \quad |+2|$$In a high mountain city, the meteorological service records the following temperatures throughout a winter day: At 6:00 a.m.: $-8$ ºC. At 12:00 p.m.: The temperature has…
In a high mountain city, the meteorological service records the following temperatures throughout a winter day:
-
At 6:00 a.m.: $-8$ ºC.
-
At 12:00 p.m.: The temperature has risen by $10$ ºC compared to 6:00 a.m.
-
At 8:00 p.m.: The temperature has dropped by $5$ ºC compared to 12:00 p.m.
-
At 12:00 a.m.: The temperature is the opposite of that recorded at 12:00 p.m.
Represent these four temperatures on a number line and order them from smallest to largest using the $<$ sign.
From words to integers
Many problems describe a chain of steps in words. Translate each phrase into a signed number or an operation.
| Words | Meaning |
|---|---|
| forward, up, gain, increased by | add (move right) |
| backward, down, loss, decreased by | subtract (move left) |
| the opposite of | change the sign |
| the absolute value of | distance from $0$, so never negative |
| to a point with absolute value $k$ on the left of $0$ | the point $-k$ |
Quick reminder for adding integers: with the same sign, add the absolute values and keep the sign. With different signs, subtract the smaller absolute value from the larger and keep the sign of the larger.
A toy drone moves along a straight corridor that we have marked as a number line. The take-off point is $0$. The drone makes the following consecutive movements: 1. It…
A toy drone moves along a straight corridor that we have marked as a number line. The take-off point is $0$. The drone makes the following consecutive movements:
-
It moves forward $+6$ feet.
-
It moves backward $10$ feet.
-
It moves to the opposite point of its current position.
-
Finally, it moves forward to a point whose absolute value is $2$ and which is to the left of the origin.
At what point on the line is the drone at the end of its journey? Draw it in a diagram.
A sequence of integers is defined as follows: 1. The first term is $a_1 = -5$. 2. The second term is the opposite of the modulus of $a_1$, increased by $2$ units. 3. The…
A sequence of integers is defined as follows:
-
The first term is $a_1 = -5$.
-
The second term is the opposite of the modulus of $a_1$, increased by $2$ units.
-
The third term is the modulus of the second term, decreased by $10$ units.
Calculate the fourth term if this is the opposite of the sum of the three previous terms.
Sets of integers defined by conditions
Sometimes a set of integers is not listed, but described by one or more conditions that must hold at the same time. Translate each condition into a list of integers, then keep only the integers that appear in all the lists.
| Condition | What it means |
|---|---|
| $\lvert x \rvert \le 4$ | $-4 \le x \le 4$ |
| $\lvert x \rvert < 4$ | $-3 \le x \le 3$ (for integers) |
| $\lvert x \rvert > 5$ | $x < -5$ or $x > 5$ |
| $x$ is not natural | $x$ is negative (or zero, if $0$ isn't natural) |
| $x$ is even | $\dots, -4, -2, 0, 2, 4, \dots$ (negatives can be even too) |
| $x > -x$ | $x$ is positive |
Write all the integers $x$ that simultaneously satisfy the two conditions indicated below: 1. Their modulus is less than or equal to $4$: $|x| \le 4$. 2. They are…
Write all the integers $x$ that simultaneously satisfy the two conditions indicated below:
-
Their modulus is less than or equal to $4$: $|x| \le 4$.
-
They are greater than the opposite of $2$: $x > Op(+2)$.
Determine all the integers $x$ that simultaneously satisfy the following three conditions: Their modulus is greater than $5$ and less than or equal to $9$. The number…
Determine all the integers $x$ that simultaneously satisfy the following three conditions:
-
Their modulus is greater than $5$ and less than or equal to $9$.
-
The number $x$ does not belong to the set of natural numbers $\mathbb{N}$.
-
$x$ is an even number.
Graphically represent the set of solutions obtained on the number line.
Imagine that a smart thermometer records the maximum and minimum temperature of a city. One day, the minimum temperature was $-8$ $^\circ C$. The maximum temperature was…
Imagine that a smart thermometer records the maximum and minimum temperature of a city. One day, the minimum temperature was $-8$ $^\circ C$. The maximum temperature was an integer $T$ that satisfies:
-
$|T| < 15$
-
The difference between the maximum and minimum (temperature range) is $12$ degrees.
-
$T$ is a number greater than its opposite.
What was the maximum temperature recorded? Indicate all possibilities if there are any.
Integers on the coordinate plane
On a coordinate plane, every point has two integer coordinates $(x, y)$. The first one is horizontal and the second one is vertical. Drag the point and watch the coordinates change.
For horizontal or vertical segments, the length is the distance between the two coordinates that change, like $|x_1 - x_2|$ or $|y_1 - y_2|$.
On a coordinate grid, three of the vertices of a rectangle are the points $A(-4, 3)$, $B(2, 3)$ and $C(2, -1)$. a) Determine the coordinates of the fourth vertex $D$ to…
On a coordinate grid, three of the vertices of a rectangle are the points $A(-4, 3)$, $B(2, 3)$ and $C(2, -1)$.
- a) Determine the coordinates of the fourth vertex $D$ to complete the rectangle.
- b) Calculate the perimeter of the rectangle knowing that each grid unit is equivalent to $1$ foot.
- c) What is the symmetrical point of vertex $A$ with respect to the x-axis (horizontal axis)? Indicate its coordinates as an integer.
Back to the start: $\lvert x \rvert \le 5$ allows $11$ integers, from $-5$ to $5$. Requiring $x > -3$ leaves $8$ of them: $-2, -1, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5$. Those are the possible temperatures in Minneapolis.