Mathematics — Whole Numbers

Subtopic: Counting Numbers (for age 7)

What are Counting Numbers?

Counting numbers are the numbers we use to count things: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ... Whole numbers are 0, 1, 2, 3, ... (zero is added).

Words to know:
  • Count — say numbers one by one.
  • Before — the number just smaller (e.g., before 5 is 4).
  • After — the number just bigger (e.g., after 5 is 6).
Counting examples with objects

Look and count:

🍎 🍎 🍎
= 3
✏️ ✏️ ✏️ ✏️ ✏️
= 5
🐦
= 1
Number line: 0 to 10
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

Use the number line to find "before" and "after". E.g., after 4 is 5. Before 4 is 3.

Practice — Do these
  1. Count and write the numbers:
    🍌 🍌 🍌 🍌 = ______
  2. What comes after?
    8 → ______
  3. What comes before?
    6 → ______
  4. Fill the missing numbers:
    2, 3, __, 5, __, 7
  5. Count the kisamvu (leaves) — how many?
    🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃 🍃 = ______
More fun

Play with objects at home: count stones, mangoes, chairs, or pencils. Say the numbers out loud.

Tip for parents/teacher: Use real objects and ask the child to show "before" and "after" with the number line above.

Answers
  1. 4
  2. 9
  3. 5
  4. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7
  5. 6
Kenya — Mathematics (early primary). Keep counting every day!

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