This packet helps students practice adding and subtracting positive and negative numbers (a skill that is essential for algebra and is very often challenging for students!).

This worksheet focuses on numbers between -50 and 50, so students must understand how to add and subtract positive and negative numbers, but they must also apply that knowledge to addition problems that might require carrying or borrowing. We find that, even after students master the drills, they sometimes struggle to work with negative numbers when they have to rewrite the problem in order to regroup. Once students can complete these pages with accuracy, it's less essential that they be able to complete them quickly.