New
New
Year 9

Ordering numbers in standard form

I can compare and order numbers written in a mixture of standard, non-standard and not quite standard form.

New
New
Year 9

Ordering numbers in standard form

I can compare and order numbers written in a mixture of standard, non-standard and not quite standard form.

These resources will be removed by end of Summer Term 2025.

Switch to our new teaching resources now - designed by teachers and leading subject experts, and tested in classrooms.

These resources were created for remote use during the pandemic and are not designed for classroom teaching.

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. It can be easier to compare numbers if they are all in standard form.
  2. If all numbers are in standard form, you can compare the powers of 10
  3. When powers of 10 are the same, you can compare the digits of what remains.

Keywords

  • Standard form - Standard form is when a number is written in the form A × 10^n, (where 1 ≤ A < 10 and n is an integer).

Common misconception

Pupils can incorrectly write a number in standard form or use a number in incorrect standard form whereby the number A does not satisfy 1 ≤ A < 10 or pupils use division of positive powers of 10.

Standard form represents a multiplicative relationship, so there should always be a multiplication. Embedding the understanding that negative exponents refer to 1/10^n is important. Using the place value chart with fractional and exponent form helps.


To help you plan your year 9 maths lesson on: Ordering numbers in standard form, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

On MWB, ask pupils to write five different numbers using incorrect standard form, swap MWB and ask pupils to put their peer's numbers in ascending order, showing all working out. Encourage the use of positive and negative exponents. Checking of answers can be done using a calculator.
Teacher tip

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

Prior knowledge starter quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
Numbers written in standard form are written in the form A×10B where A is ___________.
greater than 1 and less than 10
Correct answer: greater than or equal to 1 and less than 10
greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to 10
greater than 1 and less than or equal to 10
an integer
Q2.
Which of the following are written in standard form?
2.3÷102
Correct answer: 2.08×105
0.258×104
1.07÷102
Correct answer: 1.0045×103
Q3.
Use a place value grid to write 0.00026 in standard form.
2.6×103
2÷104
2.6÷103
Correct answer: 2.6×104
2×104
Q4.
Write 0.000026 in standard form.
2.6×104
Correct answer: 2.6×105
2.6÷105
2.6×105
26×106
Q5.
5.23×102 as an ordinary number is .
Correct Answer: 0.0523
Q6.
Match each ordinary number to the equivalent number written in standard form.
Correct Answer:0.0033,3.3×103

3.3×103

Correct Answer:30300,3.03×104

3.03×104

Correct Answer:0.00303,3.03×103

3.03×103

Correct Answer:33000,3.3×104

3.3×104

Correct Answer:0.0303,3.03×102

3.03×102

Correct Answer:330000,3.3×105

3.3×105

Assessment exit quiz

Download quiz pdf

6 Questions

Q1.
These are all examples of numbers written in form: 9.04×102, 2.98×102 and 1.39×108
Correct Answer: standard
Q2.
Which of the following inequalities is incorrect?
9.88×102<2.5×103
1.8×108<2.5×108
3.02×103<2.5×105
Correct answer: 5.4×103<5.04×103
1.45×106<1.456×106
Q3.
Starting with the smallest, put these numbers written in standard form in order of size.
1 - 8×102
2 - 1.31×103
3 - 2.1×104
4 - 2.2×104
5 - 2.8×105
Q4.
Which of the following inequalities is incorrect?
6.7×104<1.4×103
Correct answer: 2.72×101<2.8×102
8.2×103<2.8×102
2.72×101<2.8×101
1.04×106<1.045×106
Q5.
Starting with the smallest, put these numbers written in standard form in order of size.
1 - 7.4×106
2 - 9.4×105
3 - 2.308×104
4 - 2.318×104
5 - 3.23×102
Q6.
Starting with the smallest, put these numbers in order of size.
1 - 4.6×104
2 - 4.6×0.01
3 - 4.6×101
4 - 4.6×102
5 - 4600×1101
This site uses cookies to store information on your computer. Some of these cookies are essential, while others help us to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used.