🔢 Numbers and Counting (1–100)

Welcome to your first mathematics lesson! In this lesson, you will learn to count, read, and write numbers from 1 to 100. These skills are the foundation for all mathematics you will learn in Primary school and beyond.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

• Count forwards and backwards from 0 to 100
• Read and write numbers in words and figures
• Identify odd and even numbers
• Compare numbers using greater than (>), less than (<), and equal to (=)
• Understand place value (ones, tens, hundreds)

1. Counting Forwards and Backwards

Counting is the most basic skill in mathematics. Let us practise:

• Forwards: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12... all the way to 100
• Backwards: 100, 99, 98, 97, 96, 95... all the way to 0
• In tens: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100
• In fives: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50...

Tip: Counting in tens and fives helps you learn multiplication tables later!

2. Reading and Writing Numbers

Every number can be written in figures (digits) and words:

• 7 = seven
• 23 = twenty-three
• 45 = forty-five
• 100 = one hundred

Rule: For numbers 21–99, write the tens word, then a hyphen, then the ones word. Example: 67 = sixty-seven.

3. Odd and Even Numbers

• Even numbers end in 0, 2, 4, 6, or 8. They can be divided into two equal groups. Examples: 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12...
• Odd numbers end in 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9. They cannot be divided into two equal groups. Examples: 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11...

4. Comparing Numbers

We use three symbols to compare numbers:

• > means "greater than" → 45 > 32 (45 is greater than 32)
• < means "less than" → 18 < 27 (18 is less than 27)
• = means "equal to" → 50 = 50 (50 is equal to 50)

Memory trick: The open side of the symbol always faces the BIGGER number. Think of it like a hungry crocodile mouth — it always opens towards the bigger meal! 🐊

5. Place Value

In the number 73:

• The 7 is in the tens place → it means 70 (seven tens)
• The 3 is in the ones place → it means 3 (three ones)
• So 73 = 70 + 3

In the number 100:

• The 1 is in the hundreds place → it means 100
• The 0 is in the tens place → 0 tens
• The 0 is in the ones place → 0 ones

📝 Practice Exercises

1. Write these numbers in words: 14, 38, 56, 91, 100
2. Which is greater: 67 or 76? Use the correct symbol (>, <, or =)
3. List all the even numbers between 20 and 40
4. What is the place value of 5 in the number 52?
5. Count backwards from 50 to 35. Write all the numbers.
6. Write the number: four tens and six ones = ___

🎯 Key Takeaways

• Numbers 1–100 are built from tens and ones
• Even numbers end in 0, 2, 4, 6, 8
• The crocodile mouth (> <) always opens towards the bigger number
• Place value tells us what each digit is worth

Next lesson: Addition and Subtraction — where we learn to combine and take away numbers!