Place Value

What is place value?

Place value is the value of a digit in a number based on its position. It's the foundation of our number system, also known as the base ten or decimal system.

Image: “Place Value in Maths: Definitions, Charts, and Examples.” GeeksforGeeks, GeeksforGeeks, 10 June 2024, www.geeksforgeeks.org/place-value-maths/.

Understanding Base-tens

Recognizing 10

It takes children an extended period of time to recognize a group of 10 as a unit.

IMAGE:

“450 Base Ten Blocks Royalty-Free Images, Stock Photos & Pictures | Shutterstock.” Base Ten Blocks, www.shutterstock.com/search/base-ten-blocks. Accessed 5 May 2025.

Bundling

The next step in understand is when children realize groups of 10 can be used to represent bundled objects. Two groups of ten in 20.

The Learning Process:

When beginning to teach place value younger grades are asked to take double digit numbers and break down the tens and ones. An example may be 54; the 4 is in the ones place so there are 4 ones, the 5 in the tens place so there are 5 tens totaling 50, all together 54. Adding hundreds and thousands will come as the concept is understood and students get older. 700+60+2=762. Around fifth grade decimals are added into expanded form.

Learning place value is a great first step in rounding and helps you understand the concept of value. Knowing how to work with groups of numbers is important to master further concepts. I feel as though I have a good understanding of place value and understand its importance when it comes to being taught in the classroom.

IMAGE: “Expanded Form.” Math Tech Connections, 13 Oct. 2023, mathtechconnections.com/mtc_vocabulary/expanded-form/.

Expanded Form

Expanded for shows how much each part of the number is worth. Looking at the number 5,621 you want to take each individual number 5. 6. 2. 1. and write their place values as seen to the left. 5,000. 600. 20. 1. and you add them all together. Learning place value can be difficult and that's where the base-ten system comes in along with grouping (suck as toothpicks). The idea is you can group any number no matter how large, knowing numbers 0-9.

Place value is a very important but often times complicated concept for students to grasp. Place value charts, visual aids and manipulatives such as tens blocks come in handy. Often times mastering positives comes first and negatives is a secondary concept. Much like other math concepts my goal when teaching place value would be to find a method that clicks with the student to ensure they feel comfortable.

Image: Teach, Deer. “Place Value Vocabulary Poster.” TPT, www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Place-Value-Vocabulary-Poster-6126011. Accessed 5 May 2025.

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