C Curriculum Explorer
Mathematics·Number Representation & Place Value·procedural

Measuring temperature

Use negative numbers in context (temperature, finance, sea level); calculate intervals across zero

Suggested ages 10–11

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Learning journey

Your child is mastering large numbers and decimals — reading, writing, and comparing numbers up to 10 million, understanding how decimal places work, and using negative numbers in real-world contexts like temperature and money.

Evidence of understanding

  • The temperature falls from 3°C to −5°C — what is the drop? (8 degrees)
  • Calculate the difference between a bank balance of −£120 and £350
  • Order −7, −3, 0, 2, 5 on a number line and find the interval from −7 to 5

Assessment prompt

If a bank account goes from −£45 to +£120, can Measuring temperature work out the total change — counting through zero to get £165?

Standards alignment

No external standards are linked to this topic.