Place Value

Place value is the value of a digit based on its position within a number. In our decimal number system, each digit's place value is ten times the place value to its right. Understanding place value is important in being able to read, write, and compare numbers.

Understanding the Decimal System

The decimal system is based on the number 10. Each place value represents a power of 10. The places are:

Ones
Tens
Hundreds
Thousands
Ten Thousands
Hundred Thousands
Millions
and so on...

Example:

In the number 3,456, the place value of each digit is:

6 is in the ones place, so its value is 6
5 is in the tens place, so its value is 50
4 is in the hundreds place, so its value is 400
3 is in the thousands place, so its value is 3000

Study Guide

Here are some key points to remember about place value:

Each place in a number has a value based on powers of 10.
The rightmost place is the ones place, followed by tens, hundreds, thousands, and so on.
Each digit in a number represents its own place value based on its position.
Understanding place value is important for reading, writing, and comparing numbers.

Practice identifying the place value of digits in different numbers and comparing the values of digits in various places to reinforce your understanding.

Remember, place value is the key to understanding the meaning of numbers in our decimal system!