Is a negative smaller than a positive or is it the other way around?

you got it right. a negative is smaller because it is any number that is lower than zero and a positive number is anything above a zero

The absolute value |V| is based solely on the magnitude of the value. So if |V| > |v| the |V| is bigger and the |v| is smaller.

And |-V| = |+V| = V and |-v| = |+v| = v < V.

My point, the negative sign and the positive sign have no bearing on the magnitude of a value.

EXAMPLE: A velocity – V and a velocity + V are both |-V| = |+V| = V the same magnitude, which is to say the same speed. But as velocities, they are going in opposite directions.

BTW: Those who claim -$58 is smaller than $58 are incorrect. They are the same magnitude, but one indicates a debt and the other indicates a credit. The sign simply means who has that value, the creditor or the debtor.

The absolute value of a number and it’s opposite is always equal; however, a negative is always smaller because it is below zero. Also, the farther you go into the negatives, the smaller the number. Negative 1 is smaller than negative 1 because it is more negative.

A negative is smaller than a positive. A negative is any number with a “-” before it. It is less than zero. Ex: 58…-58 is smaller. Think of it as a bank account. You want $58. in there, right? You don’t want -$58 because then you’d owe money to the bank. If you have -$58, you don’t have that $58, you have MINUS the $58..

Hope that helped…

A negative is ALWAYS smaller than a positive