Reception Maths: Odd and even numbers
Part of the Reception Maths patterns chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Odd and even numbers
Sam has some apples. He puts them in pairs. Each apple has a partner.
If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over with no partner, the number is odd.
Key ideas
- Even: every thing has a partner.
- Odd: one thing is left over.
- Make pairs to check.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 6 things. Put two things together in each pair.3 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.0 left over
- Write the answer. even
Check. Count the pairs: 3 pairs, and 0 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 7 things. Put two things together in each pair.3 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.1 left over
- Write the answer. odd
Check. Count the pairs: 3 pairs, and 1 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 4 things. Put two things together in each pair.2 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.0 left over
- Write the answer. even
Check. Count the pairs: 2 pairs, and 0 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Watch out
Watch out: count the pairs carefully. If you can see a single thing left over, the number is odd.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Use socks or buttons. Pair them up. Ask: “Did any get left over?” Say: even numbers pair up and odd numbers have one left.
Exercise 8C Odd and even
Non-calculatorKey words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 2 things. Put two things together in each pair.1 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.0 left over
- Write the answer. even
Check. Count the pairs: 1 pairs, and 0 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 3 things. Put two things together in each pair.1 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.1 left over
- Write the answer. odd
Check. Count the pairs: 1 pairs, and 1 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 5 things. Put two things together in each pair.2 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.1 left over
- Write the answer. odd
Check. Count the pairs: 2 pairs, and 1 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 8 things. Put two things together in each pair.4 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.0 left over
- Write the answer. even
Check. Count the pairs: 4 pairs, and 0 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 9 things. Put two things together in each pair.4 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.1 left over
- Write the answer. odd
Check. Count the pairs: 4 pairs, and 1 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 10 things. Put two things together in each pair.5 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.0 left over
- Write the answer. even
Check. Count the pairs: 5 pairs, and 0 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 1 things. Put two things together in each pair.0 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.1 left over
- Write the answer. odd
Check. Count the pairs: 0 pairs, and 1 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 7 things. Put two things together in each pair.3 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.1 left over
- Write the answer. odd
Check. Count the pairs: 3 pairs, and 1 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 4 things. Put two things together in each pair.2 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.0 left over
- Write the answer. even
Check. Count the pairs: 2 pairs, and 0 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Method. Make pairs for each number and look for a left-over.
- Check 4. Four makes two pairs, with none left.even
- Check 6. Six makes three pairs, with none left.even
- Check 7. Seven makes three pairs, with one left over.odd
- Write the answer. 7
Check. Make pairs from 7: three pairs and one left. ✓
Watch out. Check each number by pairing.
Key words. An even number can be made into pairs. An odd number has one left over.
Method. Put the things in pairs. If every thing has a partner, the number is even. If one is left over, it is odd.
- Make pairs from the 9 things. Put two things together in each pair.4 pairs
- Look for a left-over thing. A left-over thing means there is no partner.1 left over
- Write the answer. odd
Check. Count the pairs: 4 pairs, and 1 left over. ✓
Watch out. An even number can be made into pairs with none left over.
Method. Make pairs of 6 things.
- Make pairs. Put two things in each pair.3 pairs
- Look for a left-over. There are none left over.none left
- Write the answer. No. 6 makes three pairs with none left over, so 6 is even.
Check. Count the pairs: three pairs, nothing left. ✓
Watch out. Even numbers pair up with none left over.
Method. Think about pairs of fingers.
- Count the fingers on one hand. Five fingers on one hand.5
- Count the fingers on both hands. Each finger has a partner on the other hand.5 + 5 = 10
- Write the answer. Even. Each hand has a partner, so 10 is even.
Check. Make pairs from 10: five pairs, none left. ✓
Watch out. Ten fingers make five pairs.