At 8 a.m. the temperature was –4ºC. At 12 p.m., the temperature was –1ºC. Shayla claims that it was warmer at 8 a.m. than it was at 12 p.m.

Question

What mistake did Shayla most likely make when comparing the temperatures?
A. She used a number line.
B. She compared the absolute values.
C. She compared the order of the numbers.
D. She counted the distance from zero incorrectly.

Answer 1

The mistake Shayla most likely made when comparing the temperatures is:

B. She compared the absolute values.

Shayla may have mistakenly looked at the negative sign in front of the numbers as indicating a lower temperature, when in fact -1ºC is warmer than -4ºC because it is closer to zero on the number line.