Guess My Number

Grade 3 Mathematics
Routine - Guess My Number

Standards: 2.NBT.3; 4.NBT.1; 5.NBT.1; Mathematical Practice #1; #2; #3; #4; #6

In this routine, students are challenged to use digit cards to build a number based on the clues provided. This routine allows students to reason and to use their knowledge of number properties and number relationships to generate numbers according to given criteria. Provide students with digit cards to create numbers. When first introducing this routine, you may chose to provide students with  Download Guess My Number Digit Mats

 to place digits to support in determining the number. 

 

Suggested vocabulary for clues:

Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5
digit; place; value of digit; place; value of digit; place; value of, decimal
thousands, hundreds, tens, ones,  ten thousands, thousands, hundreds, tens, ones,  ten thousands, thousands, hundreds, tens, ones, tenths, hundredths
odd, even odd, even odd, even
sum of the digits sum of the digits, product of the digits, n times the ___ digit   sum of the digits, product of the digits, n times the ___ digit 
greater than, less than, round to the nearest greater than, less than, round to the nearest greater than, less than, round to the nearest
prime, composite, multiple of, factor prime, composite, multiple of, factor

 icon-file-download.png Download Guess My Number Digit Mats

 

In this example students are building a six digit number and in addition to place value, vocabulary such as multiples, prime, odd and even are highlighted.

 

Routine - Guess My Number Links to an external site. on Vimeo Links to an external site..

 

Third Grade Examples

 Fourth Grade Examples

Fifth Grade Examples

The secret number has 3 digits: 3, 7,  and 6.

  • The secret number is odd
  • The secret number is less than 500.
  • The digit in the tens place is double the digit in the hundreds place

The secret number has 5 digits:  6, 8, 4, 7 and 5

  • The secret number is odd
  • The digit in the hundreds place is double the digit in the thousands place
  • The digit in the tens place is a multiple of 3

The secret number has 5 digits: 3, 9, 1, 6, 2

  • The digit in the tens place is a prime number
  • The digit in the ten thousands place is 3 times the digit in the tens place
  • The secret number rounds to 90,000.
  • The difference of the digits in the hundreds place and ones place is 5.
  • The digit in the hundreds place is odd.

The secret number has 4 digits: 4, 7, 9, 6 

  • The secret number is even
  • The secret number is greater than 500.
  • The digit in the tens place is 2 more than the digit in the hundreds place

The secret number has 5 digits: 0, 3, 9, 1, 2, 6

  • The secret number is a multiple of 5
  • The digit in the hundreds place is a prime number
  • The digit in the ten thousands place is 3 times the digit in the tens place

The secret number has 3 digits: 3, 4, and 6

  • The secret number is odd
  • The secret number is less than 5
  • The digit in the tenths place is a multiple of 3

The secret number has 4 digits: 7, 1, 4, 2

  • The difference of the digits in the hundreds and tens place  is 3.
  • The secret number is less than 2,000
  • The secret number is even.

Use the digit cards: 0, 3, 9, 1, 2, 6. However, the secret number has 4 digits.

  • The secret number is a multiple of 5
  • The digit in the hundreds place is a even number
  • The digit in the thousands place is 3 times the digit in the tens place

 

The secret number has 4 digits: 0, 7, 4, and 5.

  • The secret number is even
  • The secret number is greater than 7,000.
  • The secret number is not a multiple of 10.
  • The digit in the hundreds place is 1 more than the digit in the ones place.

 

 

Extension: If students find more than one correct secret number allow students to defend their answer.  Then ask students to give a final clue that would eliminate all but one possible answer. 

 

 

Creative Commons Logo This course content is offered under a CC Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike Links to an external site. license. Content in this course can be considered under this license unless otherwise noted.