Max Maths, Year 5, Learn together, Ordering numbers on a number line

In Year 5, students are learning to order numbers on a number line, a skill that involves converting mixed numbers and fractions to decimals. This process is crucial as it allows for a clear comparison and arrangement of numbers. For example, when looking at numbers such as 1½, 1/10, 5/2, and 0.02, students are taught to convert these to their decimal equivalents. They learn that 1½ is the same as 1.5, 1/10 translates to 0.1, 5/2 is equal to 2½ or 2.5, and 0.02 remains the same as it is already a decimal. With this understanding, students can then accurately place these numbers in order on the number line: 0.02, 0.1, 1.5, and 2.5.

The lesson continues with a practice exercise where students are asked to order additional numbers on a number line, such as 1¾, 0.5, 1.5, and 75/100. By applying their knowledge of conversion, they identify that 1¾ is equivalent to 1.75 and 75/100 is the same as 0.75. The task then requires students to sequence these decimals correctly. This exercise helps to reinforce the concept of ordering and provides a visual representation of the numbers' positions relative to each other, thereby enhancing the students' numerical understanding and proficiency in working with fractions, mixed numbers, and decimals.