There are 73 NRICH Mathematical resources connected to Comparing and ordering numbers, you may find related items under The Number System and Place Value.
Broad Topics > The Number System and Place Value > Comparing and ordering numbers
Number Lines in Disguise
Age 7 to 14
Challenge Level
Some of the numbers have fallen off Becky's number line. Can you figure out what they were?
Carroll Diagrams
Age 5 to 11
Challenge Level
Use the interactivities to fill in these Carroll diagrams. How do you know where to place the numbers?
Greater Than or Less Than?
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Use the numbers and symbols to make this number sentence correct. How many different ways can you find?
Can You Do it Too?
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
Try some throwing activities and see whether you can throw something as far as the Olympic hammer or discus throwers.
Now and Then
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Look at the changes in results on some of the athletics track events at the Olympic Games in 1908 and 1948. Compare the results for 2012.
Olympic Starters
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Look at some of the results from the Olympic Games in the past. How do you compare if you try some similar activities?
Largest Even
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
How would you create the largest possible two-digit even number from the digit I've given you and one of your choice?
Light the Lights
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
Investigate which numbers make these lights come on. What is the smallest number you can find that lights up all the lights?
I Like ...
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
Mr Gilderdale is playing a game with his class. What rule might he have chosen? How would you test your idea?
Dicey Operations
Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level
Who said that adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing couldn't be fun?
Nice or Nasty
Age 7 to 14
Challenge Level
There are nasty versions of this dice game but we'll start with the nice ones...
Caterpillars
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
These caterpillars have 16 parts. What different shapes do they make if each part lies in the small squares of a 4 by 4 square?
Factor-multiple Chains
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Can you see how these factor-multiple chains work? Find the chain which contains the smallest possible numbers. How about the largest possible numbers?
Multiplication Square Jigsaw
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Can you complete this jigsaw of the multiplication square?
Number Balance
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
Can you hang weights in the right place to make the the number balance balanced?
Diagonal Sums
Age 7 to 14
Challenge Level
In this 100 square, look at the green square which contains the numbers 2, 3, 12 and 13. What is the sum of the numbers that are diagonally opposite each other? What do you notice?
Carrying Cards
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
These sixteen children are standing in four lines of four, one behind the other. They are each holding a card with a number on it. Can you work out the missing numbers?
Consecutive Seven
Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level
Can you arrange these numbers into 7 subsets, each of three numbers, so that when the numbers in each are added together, they make seven consecutive numbers?
Robot Monsters
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
Use these head, body and leg pieces to make Robot Monsters which are different heights.
The Tall Tower
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
As you come down the ladders of the Tall Tower you collect useful spells. Which way should you go to collect the most spells?
Farey Sequences
Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level
There are lots of ideas to explore in these sequences of ordered fractions.
Would You Rather?
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Would you rather: Have 10% of £5 or 75% of 80p? Be given 60% of 2 pizzas or 26% of 5 pizzas?
Highest and Lowest
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Put operations signs between the numbers 3 4 5 6 to make the highest possible number and lowest possible number.
Mathland Election
Age 11 to 14
Challenge Level
A political commentator summed up an election result. Given that there were just four candidates and that the figures quoted were exact find the number of votes polled for each candidate.
Which Scripts?
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
There are six numbers written in five different scripts. Can you sort out which is which?
Giants
Age 16 to 18
Challenge Level
Which is the bigger, 9^10 or 10^9 ? Which is the bigger, 99^100 or 100^99 ?
Birthday Cakes
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
Jack's mum bought some candles to use on his birthday cakes and when his sister was born, she used them on her cakes too. Can you use the information to find out when Kate was born?
Missing Middles
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
Can you work out the domino pieces which would go in the middle in each case to complete the pattern of these eight sets of three dominoes?
Buzzy Bee
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
Buzzy Bee was building a honeycomb. She decorated the honeycomb with a pattern using numbers. Can you discover Buzzy's pattern and fill in the empty cells for her?
Interactive Balance
Age 5 to 11
Challenge Level
In this simulation of a balance, you can drag numbers and parts of number sentences on to the trays. Have a play!
True or False?
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Without doing lots of calculations, can you decide which of these number sentences are true? How do you know?
Sweetie Box
Age 5 to 11
Challenge Level
Max and Bryony both have a box of sweets. What do you know about the number of sweets they each have?
Unexpected Ordering
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
Watch the video of Fran re-ordering these number cards. What do you notice? Try it for yourself. What happens?
Truth or Lie
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Take a look at the video of this trick. Can you perform it yourself? Why is this maths and not magic?
Making Pathways
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Can you find different ways of creating paths using these paving slabs?
Being Resourceful - Primary Number
Age 5 to 11
Challenge Level
Number problems at primary level that require careful consideration.
Being Curious - Primary Number
Age 5 to 11
Challenge Level
Number problems for inquiring primary learners.
Matching Numbers for Two
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
Matching Numbers game for an adult and child. Can you remember where the cards are so you can choose two which match?
More Lower Primary Number Sense and Place Value Activities
Age 5 to 7
More activities which will help you get a better of sense of numbers and understand what we mean by place value.
Activities on the Gattegno Chart
Age 5 to 11
In this article, Alf outlines six activities using the Gattegno chart, which help to develop understanding of place value, multiplication and division.
Dot Card Games
Age 3 to 7
These games devised by Jenni Way use dot cards which will help children see the structure of numbers 1-6 and give them confidence as they begin to add and subtract these numbers.
Dicey Operations in Line for Two
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Dicey Operations for an adult and child. Can you get close to 1000 than your partner?
Nice or Nasty for Two
Age 7 to 14
Challenge Level
Some Games That May Be Nice or Nasty for an adult and child. Use your knowledge of place value to beat your opponent.
Who Can Be the Winner?
Age 5 to 7
Challenge Level
Some children have been doing different tasks. Can you see who was the winner?
Sorting the Numbers
Age 5 to 11
Challenge Level
Complete these two jigsaws then put one on top of the other. What happens when you add the 'touching' numbers? What happens when you change the position of the jigsaws?
Sort Them Out (2)
Age 7 to 11
Challenge Level
Can you each work out the number on your card? What do you notice? How could you sort the cards?
Dominoes Environment
Age 5 to 11
Challenge Level
These interactive dominoes can be dragged around the screen.
NRICH is part of the family of activities in the Millennium Mathematics Project.