Page 36 - Math Smart - 7
P. 36
UNIT 2
Historians believe that the Chinese were one of the first
people to use negative integers. In 200 B.C.E, the Chinese
used a system called the rod system. They used this system to
perform calculations involving negative integers and currency.
Tir iTT nrr
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
The Chinese rod system
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
They used the colour red to show positive integers and the
colour black to show negative integers.
T -6
-3 21
Positive
Chinese rod system Base-10 system
4 -
What do you think the numbers 4, -7 and 31 would look like
'• using the Chinese rod system?
You will learn about:
V '
Integers
Number lines
Adding and subtracting integers
rrr
\
1
UNIT 2
