In mathematics, negative numbers are numbers that are less than zero. Negative numbers represent opposites of positive numbers and have various applications in mathematics.

The concept of negative numbers was first developed by Indian mathematicians in the 7th century. They were later adopted by Arabic and European mathematicians.

Negative numbers are represented by a minus sign (-) in front of the number. For example, -5 is a negative number.

Negative numbers are used in situations where something is taken away or subtracted. For example, if you have 5 apples and you take away 3 apples, then you are left with 2 apples (5-3=2). This can be represented as a negative number, -3.

Negative numbers are also used in situations where something is owed or there is a debt. For example, if you owe someone $5, this can be represented as -5.

Negative numbers have many applications in mathematics and science. They are used in calculus to find out how fast something is moving (velocity), and in physics to describe energy levels.

Negative numbers are an important part of mathematics and have many uses. Understanding negative numbers can help you to solve problems in mathematics and science.