In this Grade 4 Saxon Math lesson, students learn to identify and use ordinal numbers — including their standard abbreviations such as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd — to describe position and order. The lesson also covers the twelve months of the year in ordinal sequence and teaches students to read and write dates in month/day/year numeric form. Practice problems reinforce the difference between cardinal and ordinal numbers through real-world line and calendar contexts.
Section 1
📘 Ordinal Numbers, Months of the Year
Numbers that tell position or order are called ordinal numbers.
Mastering order and position is the first step in learning to decode the hidden structures within mathematics. This skill builds the foundation for everything from solving complex equations to designing efficient algorithms.
Next, you’ll apply ordinal numbers to solve problems about position and learn how they organize our calendar.
Section 2
Ordinal Numbers
Numbers that tell position or order, like first, second, or third. They are abbreviated with a number and letters like 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
Example: If ten people are in line, the 4th person is Pedro.
Example: The month of May is the 5th month of the year.
Example: The final contestant was the 12th person to audition for the show.
Think of a race! Ordinal numbers don’t just count the runners; they tell you who won, like who came in 1st place. They answer the question “which one?” not “how many?” It's the secret to knowing your exact spot in any lineup or sequence.
Section 3
Months of the Year
The year has twelve months in a specific order, from January (first) to December (twelfth). A common year has 365 days, while a leap year has 366 days.
Example: The ninth month of the year is September, which has 30 days.
Example: A leap year adds an extra day to February, making it 29 days long.
Example: The third month is March, which has 31 days.
Knowing the months in order is like having a map of the year! It helps you find important dates, like birthdays or holidays. Remember the rhyme for days: “Thirty days have September, April, June, and November,” to help you remember how many days are in each month!
Section 4
Writing Dates
Dates can be written using numbers in the format month/day/year. The first number represents the month's order, the second is the day, and the third represents the year.
Example: The date means the seventh month (July), the eighth day, in the year 1999.
Example: A driver's license expiring on is invalid after April 29, 2006.
This format is a cool shortcut to record any day in history! The number for the month comes from its ordinal position, so the 7th month is July. This is super useful for filling out forms, setting reminders, or noting down important events quickly and efficiently.
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Section 1
📘 Ordinal Numbers, Months of the Year
Numbers that tell position or order are called ordinal numbers.
Mastering order and position is the first step in learning to decode the hidden structures within mathematics. This skill builds the foundation for everything from solving complex equations to designing efficient algorithms.
Next, you’ll apply ordinal numbers to solve problems about position and learn how they organize our calendar.
Section 2
Ordinal Numbers
Numbers that tell position or order, like first, second, or third. They are abbreviated with a number and letters like 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.
Example: If ten people are in line, the 4th person is Pedro.
Example: The month of May is the 5th month of the year.
Example: The final contestant was the 12th person to audition for the show.
Think of a race! Ordinal numbers don’t just count the runners; they tell you who won, like who came in 1st place. They answer the question “which one?” not “how many?” It's the secret to knowing your exact spot in any lineup or sequence.
Section 3
Months of the Year
The year has twelve months in a specific order, from January (first) to December (twelfth). A common year has 365 days, while a leap year has 366 days.
Example: The ninth month of the year is September, which has 30 days.
Example: A leap year adds an extra day to February, making it 29 days long.
Example: The third month is March, which has 31 days.
Knowing the months in order is like having a map of the year! It helps you find important dates, like birthdays or holidays. Remember the rhyme for days: “Thirty days have September, April, June, and November,” to help you remember how many days are in each month!
Section 4
Writing Dates
Dates can be written using numbers in the format month/day/year. The first number represents the month's order, the second is the day, and the third represents the year.
Example: The date means the seventh month (July), the eighth day, in the year 1999.
Example: A driver's license expiring on is invalid after April 29, 2006.
This format is a cool shortcut to record any day in history! The number for the month comes from its ordinal position, so the 7th month is July. This is super useful for filling out forms, setting reminders, or noting down important events quickly and efficiently.
Book overview
Jump across lessons in the current chapter without opening the full course modal.
Continue this chapter