Reading & Writing Numerals 0–10 - First Grade Mathematics

Numbers can be spoken with your voice, shown with your fingers, or written down on paper as numerals. A numeral is a symbol used to represent a number. Just like letters come together to make words that you read, numerals come together to tell mathematical stories. Learning how to read and write numerals clearly ensures that anyone who looks at your work will understand your mathematical ideas. In this chapter, you will learn the exact strokes used to write each numeral from 0 to 10.

Stroke Guides for Numerals 0 to 5

Each numeral is made of simple lines: straight lines going down, across, or slanted, and curved lines that loop around.

Writing Numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5:

  00000       11       22222      33333        4   4     55555
 0     0     111           2          3        4   4     5
 0     0      11       22222       3333        44444     5555
 0     0      11       2              3            4         5
  00000      1111      22222      33333            4     55555

Numeral 0

Start at the top line, curve around to the left, go down to the bottom line, and curve back up to close the loop. Make sure your zero does not look like a skinny straight line; it should be an open oval shape.

Numeral 1

Start at the top line and make one straight, clean stroke straight down to the bottom line. It is a single downward line.

Numeral 2

Start near the top, make a smooth curve up and over to the right, slant down diagonally to the bottom left, and then make a flat straight line across the bottom to the right.

Numeral 3

Start at the top, make a curve to the middle, pull back slightly, and make a second curve down to the bottom line. It looks like two little hills turned on their side.

Numeral 4

Start at the top, pull straight down to the middle, turn right and draw across. Lift your pencil, start at the top again on the right, and make a long line straight down through the cross line to the bottom.

Numeral 5

Start at the top right, draw a short line to the left, pull down to the middle, and then give it a big round tummy that curves down to the bottom line.

Stroke Guides for Numerals 6 to 10

As numbers grow larger, the numerals use interesting loops and combinations of strokes.

Writing Numerals 6, 7, 8, 9, 10:

  66666      77777      88888      99999      11    00000
 6               7     8     8    9     9    111   0     0
 66666          7       88888     9999999     11   0     0
 6    6        7       8     8          9     11   0     0
  6666        7         88888       9999     1111   00000

Numeral 6

Start at the top, slide down curving to the left, hit the bottom line, and loop around into the middle to close a circle.

Numeral 7

Start at the top left, make a straight line across to the right, and then slant diagonally down to the bottom left corner.

Numeral 8

Start near the top, curve around to the left like making the letter S, curve down to the bottom line, and then cross back up diagonally through the middle to close at the top. Never draw two separate circles on top of each other; draw one continuous flowing line!

Numeral 9

Start at the top, draw a full circle around to the left, and when you meet the top again, draw a straight line straight down to the bottom line.

Numeral 10

The numeral 10 is special because it is our first two-digit number. You write a 1 on the left side, and right next to it, you write a 0. Together, 1 and 0 represent the number ten.

Matching Numerals to Words and Quantities

A complete mathematician knows the symbol, the word, and the quantity for every number.

Chart of Numerals, Words, and Quantities:
Symbol   Word      Quantity
  0      zero      (none)
  1      one       *
  2      two       * *
  3      three     * * *
  4      four      * * * *
  5      five      * * * * *
  6      six       * * * * * *
  7      seven     * * * * * * *
  8      eight     * * * * * * * *
  9      nine      * * * * * * * * *
 10      ten       * * * * * * * * * *

Avoiding Common Reversals

Many students occasionally write numerals backward, such as reversing 2, 3, 5, or 7. To prevent reversals, practice tracing numerals with your finger on textured surfaces like sandpaper or in a tray of dry rice before writing with pencil on paper.

Practice Exercises

Exercise 1: Write down the numerals that correspond to each of these number words: three, seven, zero, four, and ten.

Exercise 2: Look at the numeral 8. Describe the correct motion your pencil should make to draw an 8 without picking your pencil up from the paper.

Exercise 3: Write the number words that match each of these numerals: 1, 5, 6, 8, 9.

Exercise 4: Why does the number ten require two digits to write, and what are those two digits?

Solutions and Explanations

Solution to Exercise 1: The numeral for three is 3. The numeral for seven is 7. The numeral for zero is 0. The numeral for four is 4. The numeral for ten is 10.

Solution to Exercise 2: To write the numeral 8, start near the top, make an S-curve moving left then right and down to the bottom, and then curve back up across the center to rejoin the starting point at the top in one smooth, continuous stroke.

Solution to Exercise 3: The word for 1 is one. The word for 5 is five. The word for 6 is six. The word for 8 is eight. The word for 9 is nine.

Solution to Exercise 4: The number ten requires two digits because our number system groups quantities into tens and ones. In the number 10, the digit 1 represents one group of ten, and the digit 0 represents zero extra ones.