Max Maths, Year 4, Learn together, Review of odd and even numbers (1)

In a Year 4 maths lesson, students revisit the concept of odd and even numbers through practical examples involving buttons. The lesson begins with Jade, who has 5 buttons and attempts to group them into pairs. She manages to make 2 groups of two, but one button remains unpaired, illustrating that 5 is an odd number. In contrast, Han has 6 buttons, which he can neatly sort into 3 pairs with no buttons left over, demonstrating that 6 is an even number. This hands-on approach helps children visualise and understand the difference between odd and even numbers.

Building on this understanding, Samir discovers 100 buttons and decides to organise them into pairs. He records his results in a table that lists the numbers 1 through 7, marking which quantities can be evenly grouped into pairs and which cannot. The table clearly shows that numbers like 2, 4, and 6 can be paired off completely, with no buttons remaining, indicating they are even numbers. Conversely, numbers such as 1, 3, 5, and 7 leave one button without a pair, identifying them as odd numbers. This exercise reinforces the concept that even numbers can be divided into equal groups of two, while odd numbers will always have one left over.