Number Sense
Feel the numbers. More, less, bigger, smaller — develop an intuition for quantity.
1More or Less?
Look at two groups of objects. Which has more? Which has less? Your eyes can often tell before you even count.
Understanding "more" and "less" is the first step to comparing numbers. A group of 8 apples has more than a group of 3 apples.
2Bigger and Smaller Numbers
Numbers have size. 7 is bigger than 3. 2 is smaller than 9. When we write numbers, the bigger ones usually come after the smaller ones when we count up.
Try this: think of two numbers. Which is bigger? How do you know? You can imagine that many objects and compare them in your mind.
3Ordering Numbers
When we put numbers in order from smallest to biggest, we are making a number line in our heads. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 — each one grows a little more.
Practice: arrange the numbers 3, 1, 4, 2 in order. The answer is 1, 2, 3, 4. You are building number sense!
★Explore
Tap any picture to hear it spoken aloud.
Quick check
Which number is bigger?