When we place numbers in order from the largest to the smallest, we pretend that we are counting backwards from the largest to the smallest.

Example

Place these numbers in order from the largest to the smallest.

26        5        74        34        47

Answer

If we were counting up from 1 to 100, which of these numbers would we say last?

We would say 74 last, so this is the largest.

Counting backwards, which would we say next?

We would say 47 next.

Then 34.

Then 26.

The last one we would say is 5.

This is the smallest.

The order is

74, 47, 34, 26, 5

How do you feel about that? Ready to begin!