Basic(Elementary) Mathematics


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Place Value of Whole Numbers


What are numbers?

Numbers are mathematical objects used to count, measure and label. These objects are abstract concepts and they are represented by symbols. These symbols are called numerals.

There are many numerals developed by humans for the past years. The most common numeral that we are using today is called the Hindu-Arabic numerals. This numerals uses the symbols 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 to represent numbers. There are other numerals like the Roman numerals, Greek numerals and Cuneiform numerals

To form a number/s we combine one or more of the numerals. An example using Hindu-Arabic numerals are 2, 25, 856, 6658.

Number Digits
Number Digit/s
4 one Digit Number
22 Two digit number
125 Three digit number
    Reminders:
  • we can create as many digit as possible.
  • The higher the digit the larger the number. So 111 is greater than 99, 1252 is greater than 999.
  • We cannot start a number with 0. Example 056 is just the same as 56 or 00056 = 56.

What are whole Numbers?

There are many classifications of numbers, a whole number is just one of them. These are numbers that starts from 0 up to the largest number possible (0, 1, 2, 3, ...). These numbers doen't include fractions or decimals.

What is a Place Value?

A Place Value is a numerical value of a digit in a number based on its position. In whole numers the place values are ones (units), tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands, millions, ten millions, hundred millions, billions, ten billions and so on.

Placing the place value of a number starts from right to left from ones, tens and so on and the rightmost place value in a number has the smallest value.

Number Digits Place Value
Thousands Hundreds Tens Ones
3,015 3 0 1 5
Meaning 3 x 1000: There are 3 thousands on this number 0 x 100: There are no hundreds 1 x 10 : There is just one 10 5 x 1 : There are five ones or units
3, 105 = 3x1000 + 0 x 100 + 1 x 10 + 5 x 1
More on place value
Practice Problems
I. Use the digits 1, 5, 0, 9 to answer the questions
  1. Using all the digits once what is the largest possible number that can be formed?
  2. Answer: 9510
  3. Using all the digits once what is the smallest possible number that can be formed?
  4. Answer: 1059
  5. What is the smallest two digit number that can be formed from the given digits?
  6. Answer: 10
  7. Can a billion place value be created using the given digits? Yes | No
  8. Answer: Yes: Example: 999 111 555 000 or 159 095 001 000
II. True | False
  1. 36 is greater than 99
  2. Answer: False
  3. The rightmost part of the number has the smallest place value
  4. Answer: True
  5. All five digit number has a thousands place value
  6. Answer: True
  7. 300 is greater than any two digit number
  8. Answer: True
  9. All four digit numbers are less than any three digit number
  10. Answer: True
III. What is the place value of 1 on the given numbers?
  1. 102,366
  2. Answer: Hundred Thousand
  3. 12,366
  4. Answer: Ten Thousand