Open Number Lines

Open number lines can be one of the best teaching tools ever.  Here are a few of our favourite ideas for how to use them:

1. Use the line for base 10 numbers…  Start at 0, end at 1000 – ask students where 10 and 100 go.
2. Use the line for indices… Start at 10^0 and end at 10^6.  Where do the other powers of ten go?
3. Use weird numbers at the start and end point… Start at 200, end at 1300 and ask students to find the mid point and where 500 goes.
4. Use numbers along the line instead of at the ends… Place 600 and 1300 on a number line and ask students to find the start and end numbers.
5. Use to find the amount between numbers or for operations.