Understanding place value

​​In a nutshell

Place value is used to help read and understand numbers more clearly.

Digit

A digit is a single number that may be part of a bigger number.

Integer

An integer is a whole number.

Sorting whole numbers into their place values

To sort a number into place values, place each digit of the number into its own place value. Start from right to left.

Example 1

Write the number $$6168325$$​ in place values.

From right to left:

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Reading whole numbers

To read whole numbers, you first need to know how to group digits. To group the digits of a number, start from the right (i.e. the units) and place commas after every three digits.

Examples

• $$6168325$$​ becomes $$6,168,325$$​
• $$52001$$​ becomes $$52,001$$​​
• $$727$$​ stays as $$727$$​​
• $$600200$$​ becomes $$600,200$$​​

Reading whole numbers

Once the digits of a number are grouped like shown above, read the number from left to right in their grouped place value.

Example 2

How is $$6,168,325$$​ read?

Looking at the groups from left to right:

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The "$$6$$​" represents millions. So, it is read as "six million".

The "$$168$$​" is in the thousands section. So, it is read as "one hundred and sixty eight thousand".

The "$$325$$​" is read normally as "three hundred and twenty five".

Therefore, $$6,168,325$$ is read as "six million, one hundred and sixty eight thousand, three hundred and twenty five".

Decimal place values

Decimals have their own place values.

• The first digit after the decimal point is the tenths position.
• The next digit after that is the hundredths position.
• The digit after that is the thousandths position.

Example 3

Sort the number $$32.145$$​ in place values:

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Reading decimal numbers

To read numbers to the right of the decimal point, just read each digit individually. Read the decimal point as "point".

Example 4

How is the number $$32.105$$​ read?

Read from left to right, reading the decimal point as "point":

$$32.105$$ is read as "thirty two point one zero five".

Note: Commas are not used when grouping digits to the right of the decimal point.