The mark 5 means five things. It is a short way of writing a number down.
Step 1: Let's Learn
Read it, or press Listen and follow the words.
Five things, one mark
Count the stars. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Now write it: 5 Five stars. Five steps. Five minutes. The same mark works for all of them.
Why we need a symbol
Drawing five apples takes time and space. Writing 5 says the same thing in one mark, and it works for apples, steps or minutes.
Step 2: Try It Yourself
Tap and try it out.
How many in all
Step 3: In Real Life
A house number
Every house has a number on the door. The mail carrier reads it. The number 7 means the seventh house. Numbers tell people where you live.
Step 4: Watch an Example
One step at a time.
Watch Mia Match a Numeral
Mia has a pile of six blocks and three number cards.
- Step 1
She counts the blocks and gets six.
Step 5: Your Turn
Practice makes it stick.
The Card
Problem 1 of 1
A card says 9. How many things is that?
Write Every Number
Pick any number and trace it. Come back for the ones you find hard.
zero
Match the Numeral
1 of 4
How many?
2 of 4
A card says 12. How many?
3 of 4
Nothing at all. What numeral?
4 of 4
A card says 15. How many?
Find the Number
Move the marker.
Put the marker on 8.
Step 6: Quick Check
Show what you know.
Question 1 of 1
How many?
What You Learned
- A numeral is a short way of writing how many.
- Count first, then find the matching numeral.
- 0 means none.
For the grown-up
Count the things, then find the numeral that says that many. The numeral and the pile are two ways of saying the same amount.
There is nothing five-ish about the shape of 5. Everyone simply agreed on it, the way everyone agreed what a letter looks like.
The mark 0 means none at all. It looks like an empty space, which is a good reminder of what it means.