Learning objective: Identify the number that comes right before, right after, or between given numbers, using the counting order.
When you count, numbers always go in the same order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5... This order never changes. Because the order never changes, you can always tell what comes right before or right after any number.
Look at the number line above. The number 7 is highlighted. The number before 7 is 6 (you say 6 right before you say 7 when counting). The number after 7 is 8 (you say 8 right after 7).
A number is between two other numbers if it comes after the first one and before the second one. 7 is between 6 and 8, because 7 comes after 6 and before 8.
If you're not sure what number comes before or after another number, try counting out loud from 1. Stop right before the number you're thinking about — that tells you what comes before it. Keep going one more step to find what comes after.
This works for any numbers, not just small ones. What comes before 15? What comes after 19? Try counting out loud to check your answers.
6 comes before 7. 8 comes after 7. 7 is between 6 and 8.
What number comes right before 7?
What number comes right after 9?
What number is between 4 and 6?
Write down 3 numbers of your choice. For each one, write the number that comes before it and the number that comes after it.