You've got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative and don't mess with Mr in-between

Negative numbers folks! Now for some that was a bit if a mathematical turn-off in days of yore back in the old school yard.

But of course we do need them when it is particularly cold. Put on a bathing costume (alright - togs in Nu Zulun) and test out the difference between 27 degrees (centigrade) and   -27 degrees.

Your account's in the red - again negative territory. "Heh Frankie boy you owe me $35". I like to rephrase that "No, you owe me $-35" sounds better eh?

Read a summary of a class I was about to teach yesterday.

Places taken                              38
Place available                         -13
Maximum Number                    25

Fascinating I thought as I searched for a bigger room, because -13 meant that I had 13 students too many for a 25 seat room.

25 -38 = -13
25 seats taken by 38 students leaves 13 students with no seat.

Remember musical chairs worked on this mathematical principle.

One less chair than the number of people prancing around to the tune!

X-1 chairs and X people

 X-1 - X = -1 (one person has got no chair!!!!)

And of course Mr In-Between is zero, nada, zilch, zip, naught, nil, nullity, nothing and very close to diddly squat and nearby to stuff all.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mr In-Between +++++++++++++++++++