The Question
At midnight the temperature is −6°C. By noon it has risen 11 degrees. By evening it has fallen 4 degrees. What is the evening temperature, and what is the total change since midnight?
The Answer
Reveal the Answer
−6 + 11 = 5, then 5 − 4 = 1°C. The change from −6 to 1 is 7 degrees, not 5 — count up to zero first (6), then past it (1). Crossing zero is where this goes wrong.
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Practice Sheet + Marked Answers
The four-question practice sheet, the solutions in our teaching voice and a self-marking quiz for this question are part of The Question Desk course — every school day of the term, with progress you can see. Enrolled group students get it included.
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