Max Maths, Year 4, Learn together, Comparing and ordering numbers up to 10000 (3)

In a Year 4 mathematics lesson, students learn to compare and order numbers up to 10,000, focusing on identifying which of two numbers is smaller. The lesson breaks down the process of comparison by examining the value of digits in each place value, starting with the highest. In the given example, students are asked to compare the numbers 4,719 and 4,712. The method involves a step-by-step comparison, beginning with the thousands place, where both numbers have the digit 4, indicating 4,000. As the thousands and hundreds places are the same in both numbers, the comparison moves to the tens place, which also contains identical digits, a single 1.

The decisive comparison occurs at the ones place, where the first number has a 9 and the second has a 2. Since 2 is less than 9, it is clear that 4,712 is the smaller number. The lesson emphasizes the importance of starting with the highest place value when comparing digits and moving to the next highest place value if the digits are the same. This systematic approach ensures that students can accurately determine the smaller of two numbers. The lesson directs students to workbook pages for further practice, reinforcing the concept and the comparison technique.