Lesson 11

Representing Small Numbers on the Number Line

Lesson Narrative

Previously, students used the number line and positive exponents to explore very large numbers. In this lesson, they use the number line and negative exponents to explore very small numbers. Students create viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others when discussing how to represent powers of 10 with negative exponents on a number line (MP3). They attend to precision when deciding how to label the powers of 10 on the number line and how to plot numbers correctly (MP6).


Learning Goals

Teacher Facing

  • Coordinate (orally and in writing) decimals and multiples of powers of 10 representing the same small number.
  • Use number lines to represent (orally and in writing) small numbers as multiples of powers of 10 with negative exponents.

Student Facing

Let’s visualize small numbers on the number line using powers of 10.

Learning Targets

Student Facing

  • I can plot a multiple of a power of 10 on such a number line.
  • I can subdivide and label a number line between 0 and a power of 10 with a negative exponent into 10 equal intervals.
  • I can write a small number as a multiple of a power of 10.

CCSS Standards

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