Numbers 1 to 5
Primary 1 · Mathematics
Numbers 1 to 5
Lesson 5 of 8
10 min
Let's begin
Mutesi puts 5 stones close together on the mat. Her little brother pushes them far apart.
Now the stones cover the whole mat. Mutesi thinks she has more stones now.
Today you will find out the truth.
Put 5 beans close together. Count them: one, two, three, four, five. That is 5.
Now push the beans far apart. Count them again: one, two, three, four, five.
It is still 5.
Nothing was added. Nothing was taken away. So the number is the same.
Say that out loud. It is your rule for today.
Put 4 stones in a row. Count from the left end: one, two, three, four.
Now count the very same row from the right end.
You get 4 again. The answer does not change.
Worked example
Keza and Gatete.
Keza puts her 4 stones close together in a short row.
Gatete spreads his 4 stones wide across the mat.
Gatete's row looks longer. Your eyes say he has more.
Count Keza's row: 4. Count Gatete's row: 4.
They have the same. Looking is not counting.
You can add one more. Then there are more.
You can take one away. Then there are fewer.
Moving them does nothing at all.
Keza puts her 4 stones in a bowl. She still has 4 stones.
Tip
Nothing in, nothing out
Nothing was added. Nothing was taken away. So the number is the same.
Push them, spread them, turn them around. The number does not move.
Watch this one with a grown-up: move them, count again, same number
Use real beans on a mat. Then tap Show answer to check.
Put out 5 beans in a heap. Now spread them wide. How many beans now?
Answer: 5. Nothing was added, so it stays 5.
Put 3 stones in a row. Count from the other end. What do you get?
Answer: 3. The end you start from does not matter.
Uwase has 4 caps in a long row. Keza has 4 caps in a short row. Who has more?
Answer: Nobody. Both have 4. They are the same.
Mugisha has 2 avocados on the table. He moves them to a bowl. How many now?
Answer: 2. Moving them changes nothing.
Put 5 stones on a mat. Now turn the mat around and count them again.
Answer: 5 both times. Nothing was added or taken away.
What you learned today
Quick check
5 beans close together. Spread them wide. How many now?
