Place Value: Determining Place
Hundred
thousands
Ten
thousands
thousands
5
,
hundreds
tens
ones
4
2
8
Students need to be able to identify the place of each digit in a number
Example: What is the place of the underlined digit?
5, 4 28
Strategies: Draw a place value chart and write the number in it, starting with
the digit in the ones.
Place Value: Determining Value
Steps:
1. Write the underlined digit.
2. Count the number of places after the
underlined digit.
3. Write that many zeros.
Example: 5,428
1.
2.
3.
4.
Write the 4.
There are 2 places (the tens and ones) after the 4.
Write two zeros after the 4.
The answer is 400.
Comparing Numbers
5,367
5,639
Strategy:
1. Write the numbers so one is below the other.
5,367
5,639
2. Look at the first digits of each number. If they are different, you can
figure out the number that is greatest.
3. If they are the same, you must look at the next place.
In the example, the digits in the thousands place are the same so we must look at
the hundreds place. The 6 is greater than the 3 so 5,639 > 5,367. Remember the
‘mouth’ points to the greater number.
Ordering Numbers
3,589
4,789
567
3,501
Strategy:
1. It is easier to compare the numbers if you stack them one on top of the other.
3,589
4,789
567
3,501
2. Look at the first digit to determine the greatest number. If the 2 digits are the same,
you must look at the digit in the next place.
In the example, the 4 is greatest so 4,789 is the greatest number.
3,589
4,789
4,789
3,589
567
3,501
3,501
567
The next 2 numbers have a 3 in the thousands place so we need to look at the hundreds
place. Both have a 5 so we need to look at the tens place. The 8 is greater than 0 so
3,589 is greater than 3,501.
Rounding
Steps:
1. Circle the digit that is in the place you are rounding to.
2. Underline the digit just to the right. This is your “bossy
neighbor” number.
3. The “bossy neighbor” tells us whether to round down or
round up.
Rule: If the “bossy neighbor” is a 0,1,2,3 or 4, round down.
If the “bossy neighbor” is a 5,6,7,8 or 9 round up.
___________________________________________________________
Example 1.
Round 634 to the nearest hundred.
634
600
700
The 3 tells us to round down to 600.
Example 2: Round 3,789 to the nearest thousand.
3,789
3,000
The 7 tells us to round
up to 4,000.
4,000
Example 3: Round 217 to the nearest ten.
Don’t forget to write the digits that
are before the underlined digit.
The 7 tells us to round up to 220.
217
210
220
Writing Numbers
6,728
Standard Form: 6, 728
Expanded Form: 6,000 + 700 + 20 + 8
Word Form: six thousand, seven hundred twenty-eight
Hints: Say the number in your head.
Say ‘thousand’ at the comma (,).