About this worksheet

This free Year 5 equal and not equal number sentences worksheet is written for the Western Australian curriculum and mapped to SCSA content description WA5MNAUE1. It focuses on one skill and is full of hands-on activities where children shade, draw, label and complete diagrams. By the end, students can say “I can complete and check number sentences using =, ≠, , and explain my reasoning.”

What’s inside

• Key idea box – a short explanation with a worked, visual example to read before starting.
• A · Warm up (16 questions) – quick draw, shade and write practice to build confidence.
• B · Practise (9 questions) – worded problems in everyday Australian contexts, most with a diagram to work on.
• C · Think it through (5 questions) – explain your thinking: spot the mistake, true or false, always–sometimes–never, odd one out.
• D · Challenge (3 questions) – harder multi-step and problem-solving questions for students ready to stretch.
• Separate marking key – every answer with working, the correct shading and drawings shown in colour, and marking criteria for reasoning questions.

Skills covered

• Finding missing numbers so both sides balance
• Using =, ≠, < and > to compare number sentences
• Explaining equivalence without working out both sides

How to use this worksheet

Print the worksheet in black and white – all shading shows clearly in grey. Read the Key idea box together, then complete Section A. Most students should attempt Sections B and C; Section D suits students aiming high or preparing for extension and selective-entry maths. The worksheet is marked out of 56, and the score box on the last page shows which section needs more practice.

The diagrams follow the styles used in NAPLAN numeracy, so this sheet doubles as NAPLAN practice.

Common mistakes to watch for

• Treating = as “the answer is”, e.g. 8 + 5 = 13 + 6
• Thinking 38 + 27 ≠ 40 + 25 because the numbers are different
• Thinking 120 ÷ 5 is bigger than 120 ÷ 4 because 5 is bigger
• Reversing the < and > signs

Where this fits in the WA Year 5 sequence

Equal or Not Equal? sits in the Understanding equalities and inequalities sub-strand of Number and algebra. It is one of a set of short, single-skill EduLift worksheets that split each Year 5 content description into sub-skills. Use the previous and next links to work through the sequence in order.

Common errors we see in tutoring

• Treating = as “the answer is”, e.g. 8 + 5 = 13 + 6
• Thinking 38 + 27 ≠ 40 + 25 because the numbers are different
• Thinking 120 ÷ 5 is bigger than 120 ÷ 4 because 5 is bigger
• Reversing the < and > signs