Year 4 · Autumn term · Place value · Step 6
Year 4 Count backwards through zero worksheets with answers
Count backwards through zero in 1s and in equal steps, on number lines and in sequences, and read negative numbers in context. A free editable Word sheet with eight fluency and six reasoning questions. The answers follow the questions: the same sheet again with every answer in red.
Download the worksheets
Printing tip: the red answers are in the same file, after the questions. For pupils, print only the pages before the red answers (in Word, choose the pages in the print box). Keep the full file for marking.
Print on A4 portrait: every page carries the sheet twice, side by side, so you can cut down the middle and two pupils each get a half to stick in their books. Every question sits in its own box and pupils write their answers in their book. The answers follow the questions in the file: the same sheet again with every answer in red. It opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice, so you can change numbers, delete questions or add your own. There is no scaffolded version of this step yet.
Not scaffolded sheet
The same questions without the extra support. For pupils working at the expected standard: eight fluency questions first, then the reasoning questions.
Sample questions from this step
These are real questions from the first set of the sheet (two from the fluency page, two from the reasoning page). Open each one to see the answer.
- The numbers go down in 1s. Work out the missing numbers.4, 3, ?, 1, 0, ?, ?, −3, −4The missing numbers are ____
Show the answer
2, −1, −2
- The numbers go down in equal steps. Work out the missing numbers.9, 6, ?, ?, ?, −6, −9The missing numbers are ____
Show the answer
3, 0, −3
- Tiny is counting back in 5s from 14.14, 9, 4, 0, −5Is Boba correct? Circle yes or no.Circle yes or no.Explain the mistake. Then write the correct numbers from the mistake onwards.The correct numbers are ____
Show the answer
No; No. 4 − 5 = −1, not 0. Tiny counted 0 as one of the 5 steps. Count back the whole 5 from 4.; −1, −6
- A submarine is at sea level (0 m). It dives 9 m, then dives a further 8 m. Then it rises 5 m.Write each position as a number. A position below sea level is a negative number.Position after the two dives: ____ mPosition after it rises: ____ m
Show the answer
−17; −12
What is on each sheet
- Fluency: eight questions that start easy and get harder, with the key skill of the step practised in different ways.
- Reasoning: questions with pictures, tables and number lines (spot the mistake, true or false and explain, puzzles with one answer, an open-ended task).
- Answers in the same file: the sheet again with every answer in red, so there is only one file to download.
- Boba characters give the instructions in speech bubbles. They are decoration only.
Why one set of questions?
- Everyone works on the same content, and support comes from scaffolds instead of different, easier tasks. This follows the mastery approach described by the NCETM and the thinking in Ofsted's 2021 mathematics research review.
- Worked examples and visual representations lighten the load for pupils who need it, as the Education Endowment Foundation describes.