Max Maths, Year 6, Learn together, Prime and composite numbers (5)

In the Max Maths programme for Year 6, students are introduced to the concept of prime and composite numbers. Step 3 of the learning process focuses on the number 5, which is identified as a prime number. Students are instructed to cross out all multiples of 5 from a grid containing the numbers 1 to 100. This visual and interactive exercise helps them understand that prime numbers are those which have only two distinct factors: 1 and the number itself. By eliminating the multiples of 5, children are able to see the prime number more clearly and grasp the concept of prime numbers more concretely.

Continuing to Step 4, the number 7, which is the next prime number in the sequence, becomes the focus. Students are then asked to cross out all multiples of 7 in the same grid. This process of elimination is a practical application of finding prime numbers, known as the Sieve of Eratosthenes. After completing this step, the students can observe that all multiples of prime numbers up to 7 have already been crossed out. The numbers that are left unmarked on the grid are therefore all prime numbers. This methodical approach not only helps students identify prime numbers but also illustrates the fundamental properties that differentiate prime numbers from composite numbers.