Purpose:
The purpose of this activity is to help your child learn to order decimals with three decimal places.
Link to Number Framework:
Number Sequence, Stage 7-8.
What you need:
- A set of cards with the face cards and number ten in each suit removed
- 2 small round objects to represent a decimal point, for example buttons
What to do:
Play the Smallest Number Challenge, a game for 2 players.
- Cards are shuffled and placed face down in a pile.
- The first player draws 4 cards and turns these over. They use these cards, and a button, to make the smallest number possible with three decimal places. For example, if the cards 6,8, 5 and 4 are drawn the number, 4.568, is made:
- The next player takes their turn by drawing four cards and using these to make a number that is smaller than the number made by the previous player. They must use all the cards and the number must have three decimal places.
- Play continues in this way until one of the players is unable to make a number smaller than their opponent’s. Their opponent then wins that round and scores a point.
- The first player to reach 5 points is the winner.
What to expect your child to do:
- Think about the placement of digits within each number so they can make the smallest number possible.
Variations:
- Largest Number Challenge - players have to make a larger number instead of a smaller one.
Related Māori vocab:
| decimal number | tau ā-ira |
| smallest | iti rawa atu |
| smaller | iti ake |
| decimal point | ira |