Definition
Number line
A number line shows numbers in order, with equal differences represented by equal distances.
Continue from this idea into connected AXIO math.
Boundary check: The scale is 1 per equal spatial step; tick spacing must stay consistent.
What it means
Read the scale before using the line. Numbers increase in one direction and decrease in the other. The tick spacing shows the size of each step, so the same physical distance must represent the same numerical difference. You can use positions and distances to compare numbers or show operations.
Remember it
Equal jumps in value, equal steps in space.
Example
A number line is marked 0, 2, 4, 6, 8. Each tick step is 2. Starting at 4 and moving two tick steps right lands at 8, showing 4 + 4 = 8.
Watch for
The interval between neighbouring ticks is not always 1. It is set by the labelled scale and must stay consistent.
Common mix-up
The tick marks determine the scale; printed numbers are labels on selected points, not the spacing rule by themselves.
Exact meaning
A number line is a straight line whose marked points represent numbers in order, with equal numerical differences shown by equal distances.