Decimals True or False: Free Printable Game for Year 4

Decimals True or False is a free printable maths game for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9). Children read statements about decimals and decide which ones are true. They compare decimals, think about simple fraction and decimal equivalents, and practise explaining why. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 has notes for the grown-up.

It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.

What is on the sheet

Children read a series of statements about decimals and decide whether each one is true or false. To do this they compare decimals with one or two places and use what they know about simple fraction and decimal equivalents. The sheet works best when children say why a statement is true or false, not only which. It makes a good game for two, with one child reading and the other deciding.

Why true or false works for decimals

Decimal facts for curious children

• Pounds and pence are written with decimals. The point separates whole pounds from the pence.
• Each place after the decimal point is ten times smaller than the place before it.
• Tenths and hundredths are the first decimal places children meet in Year 4.
• A hundred square is split into one hundred equal small squares, so it is a handy way to picture hundredths.
• Lengths and weights are often written as decimals, such as on rulers, recipe books and parcel labels.

Skills and curriculum link

• Comparing decimals
• Ordering decimals
• Fraction equivalents
• Place value
• Reasoning

Ideas to help you talk about decimals

• Place valueEach digit has a value that depends on its place. The same digit is worth less the further right it sits after the decimal point.
• Lining upWriting decimals under each other with the decimal points in a line makes it easier to compare digits place by place.
• Hundred squareA hundred square can be shaded to show tenths and hundredths. It turns an abstract number into a picture.
• Testing a claimOne example can show a statement is false. To show it is always true, you need a reason that works every time.

Key words

• DecimalA number that uses a decimal point to show a part of a whole.
• Decimal pointThe dot that separates whole numbers from parts of a whole.
• TenthOne of ten equal parts of a whole.
• HundredthOne of one hundred equal parts of a whole.
• EquivalentHaving the same value, even if it is written in a different way.
• Place valueThe value a digit has because of where it sits in a number.

How to use it

1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes for the grown-up.
2. Read each statement aloud. If you are unsure, draw a hundred square to help.
3. Work through the first few together. Talk about why each choice is true or false.
4. Check against the notes on page 2. Ask your child to explain any they changed their mind about.
5. Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

Talk about it

• How do you know that statement is true?
• Can you think of an example that shows it is false?
• What does the first digit after the decimal point tell us?
• Does a decimal with more digits always mean a bigger number? Why or why not?
• Where have you seen decimals today, perhaps on a price tag or a ruler?
• How could a hundred square help you decide?

Take it off the page

Who it is for

Where this fits in children's learning

Before this, children build a secure understanding of place value in whole numbers and meet tenths as parts of a whole. They count in tenths, link them to fractions and use pictures such as number lines and hundred squares.

After this, children in Year 5 work with decimals to three places, read and write them, and compare and order them. They go on to link fractions, decimals and percentages, and to round decimals. Secure reasoning in Year 4 makes these steps much easier.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Decimals True or False for?

It is written for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9), in Key Stage 2. Children who are a little older or younger can also try it, depending on how confident they feel with decimals and place value.

What will children practise?

Children practise comparing and ordering decimals with one or two places. They also use simple fraction and decimal equivalents and explain their reasoning. This links to the Year 4 fractions strand, which includes decimals, in the National Curriculum for England.

How do I use it?

Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2. Read each statement aloud and talk about the choice together. If you are unsure, draw a hundred square. Check against the notes on page 2.

What if it feels too hard?

Write the decimals under each other with the decimal points lined up, then compare one place at a time. Drawing a hundred square also helps. Do the first few together and return to the rest another day.

Is it free?

Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision, and it needs only paper and a pencil.

Is it suitable for teachers to use in class?

Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.

How long does it take?

There is no set time. Children can work at their own pace and stop whenever they need to. Short sessions often work best, and you can split the sheet over two days or repeat it later.