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Episode 1 · Stories from Ganita House

The 99 Idlis

Counting in tensEstimation

Ninety-nine idlis, and a rumour of one hundred guests. Chitra counts in tens and proves there is plenty.

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Read the story

The same story, told as a comic. Read it together, slowly.

The Ganita house, with its wooden name board1
In a big, happy house called Ganita, there lived a girl who loved numbers. Her name was Chitra.
Chitra counting the last idlis at the steamer2
That morning, Chitra counted the very last idlis all by herself. Then Mihir came running in, with a very big worry.
ChitraNinety-nine idlis. Done!
MihirBut one hundred people are coming!
ChitraWait. Count again. Who is coming today?
Banana leaves laid in two neat rows on the table3
So Chitra laid banana leaves in two neat rows, and counted them all.
ChitraTwenty leaves. Twenty people. Not one hundred, Mihir.
MihirBut twenty people eat a LOT!
Chitra counting on her bracelet beads4
But how much would twenty people eat? Chitra counted on her bracelet beads.
ChitraHow many will you eat, Mihir?
MihirTwo! Maybe three.
AmmaFour is fair, Chitra.
ChitraWe need about eighty. We have ninety-nine.
Idlis arranged in rows of ten on banana leaves5
Chitra wanted to be sure. So she proved it, in tens.
ChitraTen. Twenty. Thirty. Forty. Fifty. Sixty. Seventy. Eighty. Ninety!
ChitraMy idlis are never only, Mihir. They are plenty.
Ajji serving the very first idli6
At last, it was time to eat. And who got the very first idli?
ChitraNow ninety-eight. Still enough.
ChitraProven.

Try the math

Count along with Chitra

0idlis counted

Your Turn

Amma makes 48 dosas for 12 guests. How many dosas does each guest get? What if 2 more guests arrive?

Off-screen activity

At home: count a snack into rows of ten, like Chitra.

Chitra

For parents

Today's idea was counting in tens and estimating before worrying.

Ask at dinner: how many plates does our family need on festival day?