numbers

I'm really not great at math, which is secretly the reason why I married DH. Dani was in 5th grade and her homework was getting kind of hard for me to help with. Solution: find an engineer, convert him, marry him, assign him to be the official homework helper. Problem solved :)

I think I'm going to be in trouble before 5th grade with brother. Yesterday we were getting him ready for church and he asked me if there were any numbers smaller than zero.

Yes.

What are they?

(thinking great) saying: well they are called negative numbers.

I don't get it?

I know, no one does.

Blank look.

Fine, your dad does, but no one else.

More expectant looks.

Okay there is negative 1 and negative 2 and so forth.

I still don't get it.

Okay, lets say that I tell you "Brother if you mow the lawn I will pay you 10 apples. And then you do it but I only have 7 apples so I give you those."

That wouldn't be fair.

Yep, so then how many more do I owe you.

Three.

Right.

So I have -3 apples.

thinks for a minute, because the next three you get are really mine.

Yep.

Ohhh! How many are there?

apples?

No negative numbers? does it go to infinity?

Yep they never end in either direction.

Cool!

Whatever (I didn't say that part out loud.)

And thankfully that was enough or someone else needed their hair brushed I don't remember which because I have pretty much exhausted my knowledge of negative numbers.

And if I'm wrong, DH, then you might want to have a little chat with your boy.