Maths
Ordinal Numbers
Learning Objectives
- Learn ordinal numbers from first (1st) to twentieth (20th).
- Use ordinal numbers to describe position in a line or race.
- Write ordinal numbers using short forms (1st, 2nd, 3rd...).
- Use ordinal numbers in daily life (days, months, floors).
- Understand the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers.
Let Us Begin!
It is Sports Day at school! Ravi, Meena, Sita, Arjun, and Priya are running a race. Ravi finishes first, Meena finishes second, Sita finishes third, Arjun finishes fourth, and Priya finishes fifth. We use ordinal numbers to tell the position or order of things. They answer the question: "Which one?"
Ordinal Numbers: First to Twentieth
| Number | Ordinal Word | Short Form | Number | Ordinal Word | Short Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First | 1st | 11 | Eleventh | 11th |
| 2 | Second | 2nd | 12 | Twelfth | 12th |
| 3 | Third | 3rd | 13 | Thirteenth | 13th |
| 4 | Fourth | 4th | 14 | Fourteenth | 14th |
| 5 | Fifth | 5th | 15 | Fifteenth | 15th |
| 6 | Sixth | 6th | 16 | Sixteenth | 16th |
| 7 | Seventh | 7th | 17 | Seventeenth | 17th |
| 8 | Eighth | 8th | 18 | Eighteenth | 18th |
| 9 | Ninth | 9th | 19 | Nineteenth | 19th |
| 10 | Tenth | 10th | 20 | Twentieth | 20th |
Notice: First (1st), Second (2nd), and Third (3rd) are special. From Fourth (4th) onwards, we just add "th".
Ordinal Numbers vs Cardinal Numbers
| Cardinal Numbers (How many?) | Ordinal Numbers (Which position?) |
|---|---|
| There are 5 children in the line. | Sita is the 3rd child in the line. |
| I have 12 crayons. | The red crayon is the 1st one. |
| There are 7 days in a week. | Wednesday is the 4th day. |
Using Ordinal Numbers in Daily Life
In a race: Ravi came first (1st). He won the gold medal!
Months: January is the 1st month. March is the 3rd month. August is the 8th month.
Days: Monday is the 1st working day. Friday is the 5th working day.
Floors: Arjun lives on the 4th floor of his building.
Cricket: India batted first. The 3rd batsman scored a century!
Birthdays: My birthday is on the 15th of August (Independence Day!).
Months: January is the 1st month. March is the 3rd month. August is the 8th month.
Days: Monday is the 1st working day. Friday is the 5th working day.
Floors: Arjun lives on the 4th floor of his building.
Cricket: India batted first. The 3rd batsman scored a century!
Birthdays: My birthday is on the 15th of August (Independence Day!).
Key Words
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ordinal number | A number that tells the position or order of something |
| Cardinal number | A number that tells how many (1, 2, 3...) |
| Position | Where something is in a line or sequence |
| First (1st) | The one that comes at the beginning |
| Last | The one that comes at the end |
| Order | The arrangement of things one after another |
⭐ Key Points to Remember
- Ordinal numbers tell us the position of something in a line.
- First (1st), Second (2nd), and Third (3rd) are special ordinal words.
- From 4th onwards, we add "th" to the number.
- Short forms: 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th... 10th... 20th.
- Cardinal numbers tell "how many." Ordinal numbers tell "which one."
- We use ordinal numbers for dates, floors, positions in races, and months.
Practice Questions
A. Fill in the Blanks (10)
1. The ordinal number for 3 is .
2. The short form of "seventh" is .
3. Sita is in the line. (She is at position 5.)
4. January is the month of the year.
5. The ordinal number for 10 is .
6. March is the month of the year.
7. The short form of "twelfth" is .
8. Independence Day is on the of August.
9. The ordinal number after ninth is .
10. Sunday is the day of the week.
B. Choose the Correct Answer (MCQ - 5)
1. What is the short form of "fourth"?
2. Ravi is 2nd in the race. Which ordinal word is this?
3. Which month is the 8th month of the year?
4. What comes after "fifth"?
5. Republic Day (26 January) falls on the ___ day of the year.
C. Short Answer (5)
1. Write the ordinal numbers from 1st to 10th.
2. Five children are standing in a line: Ravi, Meena, Sita, Arjun, Priya. Who is standing third?
3. Write a sentence using the ordinal number "sixth".
4. What is the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers? Give one example.
5. Write the ordinal positions of the days of the week (Monday = 1st, etc.).
D. True or False (5)
1. "Third" is written as 3th in short form.
2. Ordinal numbers tell us the position of something.
3. December is the 11th month of the year.
4. The short form of "second" is 2nd.
5. "Twentieth" means position number 20.
E. Match the Following (5)
| Column A | Column B |
|---|---|
| 1. 1st | a) Ninth |
| 2. 5th | b) First |
| 3. 9th | c) Twelfth |
| 4. 12th | d) Fifth |
| 5. 20th | e) Twentieth |
🎨 Activity: Race Day!
Draw 6 children running a race. Write their names (use Indian names like Ravi, Meena, Sita, Arjun, Priya, Kiran). Write the ordinal number (1st, 2nd, 3rd...) next to each child to show their position. Write a sentence about who came first and who came last.
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