What is Place Value?
Numbers are like building blocks!
Every digit in a number has a special place that tells us its value. The number 3,524 isn't just 3-5-2-4 -
it's 3 thousands, 5 hundreds, 2 tens, and 4 ones all put together!
Understanding Each Place
1️⃣ Ones place - Single blocks (1, 2, 3...9)
2️⃣ Tens place - Groups of 10 ones (10, 20, 30...90)
3️⃣ Hundreds place - Groups of 10 tens or 100 ones (100, 200, 300...900)
4️⃣ Thousands place - Groups of 10 hundreds or 1,000 ones (1,000, 2,000, 3,000...9,000)
Let's Practice Together!
Example 1: Building Numbers
Let's build the number 2,637 using place value blocks:
Thousands
2
Hundreds
6
Tens
3
Ones
7
Can you see how 2,000 + 600 + 30 + 7 = 2,637?
Example 2: Drag and Drop Challenge
Drag the digits to the correct places to make the number 4,185:
Thousands
Hundreds
Tens
Ones
4
1
8
5
Parent Tips 🌟
- Use real objects: Count coins (pennies = ones, dimes = tens, dollars = hundreds) to make place value tangible.
- Play place value games: Write a 4-digit number and have your child say each digit's value ("In 3,456, the 4 is worth 400").
- Connect to daily life: Point out numbers in addresses, prices, or distances and discuss the value of each digit.