negative number

A **negative number** is a numerical value that is less than zero, typically represented with a minus sign (-) before the number. Negative numbers are used to indicate values below a defined reference point, such as temperatures below freezing, financial losses, or positions below zero on a number line. They play a crucial role in mathematics, science, and everyday life, helping to describe deficits, directions, and decreases. Understanding negative numbers is essential for performing operations like subtraction, comparing magnitudes, and solving equations involving both positive and negative values.