We the Travellers—I Class 5 Maths Chapter 1 CBSE Notes 2025-26

Travelling and learning about vehicles has always engaged human curiosity. Many years ago, people used to travel primarily by walking or on animals, as cars and trains were not as common.

Later, boats and ships were invented, which became crucial for crossing lakes, rivers, and seas. Over time, our methods and means of transport have changed, making travel over even great distances possible and easier.

Reading and Writing Large Numbers Understanding how to represent big numbers is essential in mathematics. When counting thousands, the numbers increase in steps: 1,000, 2,000, 3,000, and so on. If 1,000 is added to 9,000, it becomes 10,000, which we write with a comma for clarity: 10,000. The Indian place value system also introduces a new column for ten thousand (TTh), after ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands.

Commas help in reading big numbers easily, for example: 1,000; 10,000; 45,867. In the Indian system, the digits 0–9 are used at different places to make larger numbers like 1,380 (1 thousand + 3 hundreds + 8 tens + 0 ones) and 9,123 (9 thousands + 1 hundred + 2 tens + 3 ones).

Place Value Table for Large Numbers

• 10 ones make 1 ten (10)
• 10 tens make 1 hundred (100)
• 10 hundreds make 1 thousand (1,000)
• 10 thousands make 1 ten thousand (10,000)

We use commas to make large numbers like 23,004 and 56,491 easier to read. Writing numbers in word form, for example, 45,867 is "forty-five thousand eight hundred sixty-seven", helps in understanding number values.

Number Patterns and Sequences Recognising patterns in number sequences helps in understanding how numbers grow or decrease. For instance, look at these sequences:

• 1,050, 3,150, 4,200, ...
• 10,100, 10,200, 10,300, 10,900, ...
• 10,992, 10,993, ...

Similarly, filling in number names for given numbers develops skills in reading and writing large numbers.

Comparing and Arranging Numbers Comparing numbers is more than just looking at the first digit. A student may think that 9,990 is greater than 49,014 because 9 is greater than 4, but using a place value chart helps to compare properly. Arranging numbers (like 40,347, 73,404, 34,407, 74,430) in order, and using number lines, builds confidence in understanding number magnitude.

Interchanging digits of a number (like 1,478 to 1,748) helps see how numbers can change and how they compare to other values or cross specific cutoffs like 5,500 or 35,000.

Rounding Numbers Rounding to the nearest ten, hundred, or thousand is a useful technique. For example, 2,346 rounded to the nearest ten becomes 2,350 and to the nearest hundred becomes 2,300 or 2,400—whichever is closer. This helps in quick estimations, like when travelling or calculating large amounts. Tables can help practice rounding:

Some questions require identifying two numbers which have the same nearest ten, hundred, or thousand, reinforcing understanding of rounding concepts. For example: 19 and 21 both round to 20 as the nearest ten.

Travel Through the Ages and Distance Measurements Earlier, people travelled on foot, horses, bullocks, donkeys, elephants, and in special regions, camels, reindeers, yaks, or dogs. Modern travel includes bicycles, motorbikes, cars, buses, trains, ships, aeroplanes, and even spacecraft. Submarines are for underwater journeys. The distances covered in one hour by different means of transport vary greatly:

• On foot: 3–5 km
• Horseback: 10–15 km
• Cycle: 12–20 km
• Motorbike: 40–60 km
• Train: 40–160 km
• Ship: 25–45 km
• Aircraft: 750–920 km
• Spacecraft: at least 28,000 km

For daily calculations, 1 kilometre equals 1,000 metres. Measuring distance accurately is needed when planning trips or analysing the efficiency of different transports.

Fun with Numbers: Games and Puzzles Practising with puzzles helps improve number sense. Example: If a cyclist covers 15 km in one hour, in 4 hours they cover 60 km. Calculating total vehicles needed for a school trip based on group size and vehicle capacity is another common scenario.

• Bicycle: 2 per vehicle
• Autorickshaw: 3 per vehicle
• Car: 4 per vehicle, and so on

Searching for four-digit numbers in real life, like finding the number of words in a book or the number of students in a school, develops estimation skills.

Playful Mathematics Solving puzzles like the famous river crossing (with a lion, sheep, and grass where only one item can be ferried at a time) improves logical thinking. The “pile of pebbles” game builds strategy skills, and number puzzles where you swap digits or subtract in a sequence to reach the digit 9 improve calculation skills and number properties awareness.

Practising expanded form helps to see how numbers are built:

• 783 = 700 + 80 + 3
• 8,062 = 8,000 + 60 + 2
• 9,980 = 9,000 + 900 + 80

Fill-in-the-blanks exercises help recognise place value, e.g. 5,621 = 5,000 + 600 + 20 + 1, or in words: five thousand six hundred twenty-one. Similarly, knowing how many ₹10 or ₹100 notes make a particular sum is essential for quick calculations in everyday scenarios.

King’s Horses: An Exercise in Counting and Reasoning A story about a king’s horses teaches careful counting and noticing overlaps (for example, if horses at the corners are counted twice). Rearranging objects to match a condition or catch mistakes is a fun way to develop logical and mathematical skills.

Overall, this chapter encourages looking for mathematics in real life, understanding large numbers, rounding, estimation, and critical thinking through puzzles and activities. Practising these concepts builds a strong foundation for further learning in mathematics.

CBSE Class 5 Maths Chapter 1 Notes – We the Travellers: Key Points for Quick Revision

These CBSE Class 5 Maths Chapter 1 notes on We the Travellers cover all essential concepts, such as large numbers, place value, number patterns, rounding off, and applying math in daily life. With clear explanations and tables, students can quickly review the chapter’s main points before exams. Understanding these topics is crucial for a strong maths foundation in higher classes.

These revision notes provide simple answers and examples for topics like number names, arranging numbers, and real-world problems involving distance and travel. Using these key points will help students strengthen their math basics and improve their understanding of day-to-day mathematical concepts.