People often confuse ordinal numbers with cardinal numbers and that is why it is necessary to understand the difference between both numbers as well as understand where cardinal numbers are important and where ordinal numbers are important.

The best Maths tutors available
Poonam
5
5 (68 reviews)
Poonam
£100
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Paolo
4.9
4.9 (82 reviews)
Paolo
£35
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Sehaj
4.9
4.9 (60 reviews)
Sehaj
£60
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Anthony
5
5 (85 reviews)
Anthony
£15
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Johann
5
5 (59 reviews)
Johann
£50
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Tomi
5
5 (40 reviews)
Tomi
£75
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Imad
5
5 (27 reviews)
Imad
£95
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Harjinder
4.9
4.9 (164 reviews)
Harjinder
£25
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Poonam
5
5 (68 reviews)
Poonam
£100
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Paolo
4.9
4.9 (82 reviews)
Paolo
£35
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Sehaj
4.9
4.9 (60 reviews)
Sehaj
£60
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Anthony
5
5 (85 reviews)
Anthony
£15
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Johann
5
5 (59 reviews)
Johann
£50
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Tomi
5
5 (40 reviews)
Tomi
£75
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Imad
5
5 (27 reviews)
Imad
£95
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Harjinder
4.9
4.9 (164 reviews)
Harjinder
£25
/h
Gift icon
1st lesson free!
Let's go

Cardinal Numbers

Cardinal numbers tell us the exact quantity of anything. In simple words, if you look at any object and have a question, "How many?", the answer will be in cardinal numbers. For example, let's say you have five marbles, the value five will be the cardinal number because you are telling the quantity of the object (which is the marble in this scenario).

Ordinal Numbers

Ordinal numbers are the opposite of cardinal numbers. Cardinal numbers describe the quantity of the object, on the other hand, ordinal numbers tell the position of the object. For example, you parked a car in the parking lot. When you came back, you see four more cars in the same row where you parked your car. Now you will try to remember the position of the car. Let's say you parked the car in the fifth row, hence the value fifth is the ordinal number, and the value four is the cardinal number. A few more examples, fourth year, first floor, tenth color, four-hundredth row, etc.

first  eleventh   tenth  one hundredth
  second twelfth   twentieth    two hundredth
  third   thirteenth   thirtieth    three hundredth
  fourth   fourteenth   fortieth    four hundredth
   fifth   fifteenth   fiftieth    five hundredth
  sixth   sixteenth   sixtieth   six hundredth
   seventh   seventeenth  seventieth   seven hundredth
   eighth   eighteenth   eightieth   eight hundredth
   ninth  nineteenth   ninetieth    nine hundredth
thousandth  ten thousandth  hundred thousandth  millionth
  twenty-first  thirty-first  forty-first
  twenty-second  thirty-second   forty-second
  twenty-third  thirty-third   forty-third
  twenty-fourth  thirty-fourth   forty-fourth
  twenty-fifth   thirty-fifth    forty-fifth
  twenty-sixth   thirty-sixth    forty-sixth
  twenty-seventh   thirty-seventh  forty-seventh
  twenty-eighth  thirty-eighth   forty-eighth
  twenty-ninth  thirty-ninth   forty-ninth

Summarise with AI:

Did you like this article? Rate it!

5.00 (3 rating(s))
Loading...
Emma

Emma

I am passionate about travelling and currently live and work in Paris. I like to spend my time reading, gardening, running, learning languages and exploring new places.