Year 1 Maths: Ordinal Numbers – Up to Tenth

What are Ordinal Numbers?

Hello, class! Today, we are going to learn about ordinal numbers. Ordinal numbers tell us the order of things. For example, if we are lining up for a race, the person who is first is in the 1st place, the second person is in the 2nd place, and so on.

How Do We Write Ordinal Numbers?

Here is how we write ordinal numbers up to the tenth place:

• 1st (first)
• 2nd (second)
• 3rd (third)
• 4th (fourth)
• 5th (fifth)
• 6th (sixth)
• 7th (seventh)
• 8th (eighth)
• 9th (ninth)
• 10th (tenth)

Key Rules for Ordinal Numbers

1. Ending Letters: Most ordinal numbers end in “th”. For example, fourth, fifth, and sixth.
2. Special Cases: The numbers first, second, and third are special because they do not end in “th”.
3. Counting Order: We use ordinal numbers to show the position in a line or list.

Tips and Tricks

• Remember, ordinal numbers show position, not quantity. For example, if there are 10 apples, the apple in the first place is called the 1st apple.
• You can use a number line to help you see the order of numbers. Draw a line and place the numbers on it to see which is first, second, or third!

Questions About Ordinal Numbers

Easy Level Questions

1. What is the ordinal number for 1?
2. What is the ordinal number for 2?
3. What is the ordinal number for 3?
4. What is the ordinal number for 4?
5. What is the ordinal number for 5?
6. What is the ordinal number for 6?
7. What is the ordinal number for 7?
8. What is the ordinal number for 8?
9. What is the ordinal number for 9?
10. What is the ordinal number for 10?
11. Which is 3rd: the red ball, blue ball, or green ball?
12. Who is 1st in line: A, B, or C?
13. What place is the last person in a race?
14. If you are 2nd, how many people are in front of you?
15. What place is the person who finishes right after 4th?
16. If a toy is 5th on the shelf, what number comes before it?
17. Who is 10th: the first, second, or tenth person?
18. If you are 7th, how many people are behind you?
19. What is the ordinal number for the book on the 8th shelf?
20. Who is 4th: the cat, dog, or rabbit?

Medium Level Questions

1. If Tom is 1st and Sara is 2nd, who is last if there are 5 people in line?
2. What position does Jack hold if he is right before 6th?
3. If there are 10 children in a race, what place is the one who finishes last?
4. How many places are between 3rd and 7th?
5. If Emily is 5th, who is in 4th place?
6. What is the position of the child who is in the middle of 10 children?
7. If Sam is 3rd, who is in 2nd and who is in 4th?
8. If 9 children are in a race, what place is the one who comes in the middle?
9. Who is in 8th place if Emma is 7th?
10. What place is John if he is right after the 10th child?
11. How many people are there before the 5th person?
12. If the car race has 4 cars, who is 3rd?
13. If Lucy is 6th, who is immediately before her?
14. What place is the person who finishes just before the 3rd?
15. If there are 10 toys and the blue one is 9th, what is the position of the red one if it’s right before it?
16. Who is 2nd if Amy is 1st and Bella is 3rd?
17. What is the position of the last toy if there are 7 toys?
18. If the rabbit is 4th, how many animals are in front of it?
19. What place does the last child hold in a race of 12 children?
20. If there are 5 apples and one is 2nd, what are the other places?

Hard Level Questions

1. If there are 15 pencils and the blue pencil is 4th, what place is the red pencil if it is the last?
2. Who is in 9th place if there are 20 children and Lucy is 10th?
3. If there are 12 balls and the yellow one is 2nd, who is before and after it?
4. What position is the 7th child if there are 8 children in total?
5. If the 5th book is missing, what would be the new 5th book?
6. How many children are there before the 3rd if there are 10 children in total?
7. If a toy is 1st, what place is the toy that is directly after the 6th?
8. What is the position of the last child in a line of 13 children?
9. If Jack is 3rd and there are 4 children in front of him, how many are behind?
10. If the last child comes in 10th place, how many children are there in the race?
11. Who is 5th if there are 9 participants and Sarah is 6th?
12. If the 8th toy is green and the 9th is red, what is the colour of the 7th toy?
13. What is the position of the child who is exactly in the middle of 15 children?
14. If Charlie is 5th, who is in 3rd and who is in 7th?
15. What place is the child who is last in a race of 25 children?
16. If there are 20 cars in a race and the blue car is 12th, who is in 11th?
17. If there are 10 students and Anna is 2nd, what place is Bella if she is 1st?
18. If the last toy is 10th, what place does the toy that is 1st hold?
19. What is the position of the 4th child if there are 6 children?
20. If Max is 8th in line, who is 7th and who is 9th?

Answers and Explanations

Easy Level Answers

1. The ordinal number for 1 is 1st. It means the first in order.
2. The ordinal number for 2 is 2nd. It means the second in line.
3. The ordinal number for 3 is 3rd. It means third in a sequence.
4. The ordinal number for 4 is 4th. This shows it comes fourth.
5. The ordinal number for 5 is 5th. It means the fifth person or thing.
6. The ordinal number for 6 is 6th. It shows sixth position.
7. The ordinal number for 7 is 7th. It is the seventh in order.
8. The ordinal number for 8 is 8th. It means the eighth place.
9. The ordinal number for 9 is 9th. It shows the ninth position.
10. The ordinal number for 10 is 10th. It means the tenth in line.
11. The 3rd is the blue ball. It comes after the red and before the green.
12. A is 1st in line. So, A is in front of B (2nd) and C (3rd).
13. The last person is in 10th place if there are 10 racers.
14. There is 1 person in front of you if you are 2nd.
15. The person who finishes after 4th is in 5th place.
16. The number before 5th is 4th.
17. The tenth person is the one who is 10th in line.
18. There are 6 people behind you if you are 7th.
19. The book on the 8th shelf is the 8th book.
20. The 4th is the rabbit. It comes after the cat and dog.

Medium Level Answers

1. C is last if Tom is 1st and Sara is 2nd. There are three people in total.
2. Jack is in 5th place. He is right before the sixth person.
3. The last place is 10th for a race of 10 children.
4. There are 3 places between 3rd and 7th.
5. Emma is in 4th place. Emily is in 5th place.
6. The middle child is in 5th place. There are 10 children.
7. Sam is 3rd, the child before is 2nd and after is 4th.
8. The middle child is in 5th place in a race of 9 children.
9. Emma is in 9th place, meaning 8th is the child before.
10. John is in 11th place, finishing right after the tenth child.
11. There are 4 people before the 5th person if there are 10.
12. The 3rd car is the 3rd in the race.
13. The book right before the 6th is the 5th book.
14. Lucy is 2nd in the race; someone is in 1st.
15. The last child is in 12th place in a race of 12 children.
16. Before the rabbit in the race are 3 animals.
17. The last child is in 10th if there are 12 children.
18. There are 3 places before you if you are 2nd.
19. The position of the last child is 12th in a race of 12 children.
20. If the blue one is 9th, the red one is 10th.

Hard Level Answers

1. If the red pencil is last, it is 15th.
2. Lucy is in 8th place if she is 10th of 20 children.
3. The child before yellow is 1st, and after is 3rd.
4. The 7th child is in 7th place in a race of 8 children.
5. The new 5th book takes the place of the missing one.
6. There are 2 children before the 3rd in a race of 10.
7. The toy directly after the 6th is 7th.
8. The last child in a line of 13 is in 13th place.
9. There are 4 animals behind Jack if he is 3rd.
10. The last child is in 10th place.
11. Sarah is 6th, and 5th is the one before her.
12. The colour of the 7th toy is unknown but is neither green nor red.
13. The child in the middle of 15 children is in 8th place.
14. Charlie is 5th; the others are 4th and 6th.
15. The last child is in 20th place in a race of 20 children.
16. The car in 11th is right before the blue car in 12th.
17. Anna is 1st and Bella is 2nd.
18. The first toy holds the 1st position.
19. The 4th child is in 4th place in a race of 6 children.
20. If Max is 8th, 7th is the toy before him, and 9th is after.