Max Maths, Year 5, Learn together, Comparing and ordering numbers within 1000000 (4)

In a practical exercise from the Max Maths Year 5 curriculum, students are tasked with comparing and ordering a series of six-digit numbers to understand the value of each place within the number. The context of the activity is a scenario where the Max Maths team has purchased tickets for a fair, each ticket displaying a unique six-digit number. The objective for the students is to arrange these ticket numbers in ascending order, from the smallest to the greatest.

To achieve this, the students are guided to use a chart that breaks down the numbers by place value, including ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, and hundred thousands. They begin by comparing the highest place value, which is the hundred thousands, to determine the relative size of the numbers. For example, a number with 4 hundred thousands is identified as smaller than those with 5 or 7 hundred thousands, making 408,234 the smallest number in the set. Conversely, among the numbers with 7 hundred thousands, they compare the ten thousands place to find that 790,024, with 9 ten thousands, is greater than the number with 6 ten thousands. Through this systematic comparison, students are able to successfully order the numbers from the smallest to the greatest, enhancing their understanding of numerical value and place value concepts.