# Place Value of a Number

Hey, guys! Welcome to this video on number place values. I understand that numbers can be confusing sometimes. So, I’m going to do the best that I can to help you guys understand.

Let’s take a look at a couple of different numbers

$$1,000,000$$ | $$100,000$$ | $$10,000$$ | $$1,000$$ | $$100$$ | $$10$$ | $$1$$

These numbers seem easy enough. You have one, ten, one hundred, one thousand, ten thousand, one hundred thousand, and one million. If you look closely, you can see that if you multiply each number by 10, you get the number to the left. So, $$1 \times 10$$ is $$10$$, $$10 \times 10$$ is $$100$$, $$100 \times 10$$ is $$1,000$$, and so on. In any number, the same is true. The digit to the left has a place value that is 10 times the place to its right.

Let’s try adding all these together, and see what number we get.

$$1,000,000 + 100,000 + 10,000$$ $$+ 1,000 + 100 + 10 +1$$$$= 1,111,111$$

You get one million, one hundred eleven thousand, one hundred eleven. We can see how the place value increases by 10 times as you move to the left.

Let’s try another:

Find the place value of 8 in 9,865.

Now, if we rewrite this we can make this a little easier to visualize.

$$9,000 + 800 + 60 + 5$$

So this is 9 thousands + 8 hundreds + 6 tens + 5 ones.

So let’s look back at our problem. Find the place value of the 8 in 9,865. So, we’re looking for the place value of this 8 right here. When we write it out we can clearly see that 8 is in the hundreds place.

If rewriting and expanding the number is not a helpful method for you, then let’s try one more thing.

When you have a whole number, and there are no digits to the right, you know that you are dealing with a number in the ones place, like 7.

When there is one other digit to the right, then you are in the tens place, like 70.

When there are two digits to the right, then you are in the hundreds place, like 700.

If there are 3 digits to the right, then you are in the thousands place, like 7,000.

If there are 4, you are in the ten thousands place, like 70,000.

If there are 5, you are in the hundred thousands place.

If there are 6, you are in the millions place, and so on.

Practice finding place values on your own by making up your own whole numbers, and writing out the place value for each of the digits.

So, so far we have only looked at whole numbers; so, let’s take a look at decimal numbers.

$$4,367.521$$

Remember, every digit to the left of the decimal is a whole number, and every digit to the right is a fraction, or decimal number. Since, we already know how to identify place values for whole numbers, for now, let’s look at everything to the right of the decimal.

So, we have our decimal point, then 521.

Let’s simplify. We have $$\frac{5}{10}+\frac{2}{100}+\frac{1}{1,000}$$

OR

5 tenths + 2 hundredths + 1 thousandths

The digit to the very right of the decimal represents the tenth place value.

The digit second digit to the right of the decimal represents the hundredths place value, and so on.

One important thing to note is that there is not a oneth place. There is only a ones place, because $$\frac{1}{1}$$ is equal to 1, and 1 is a whole number.

I hope this video has helped you to better understand number place values. Be sure to practice on your own until you feel confident in your ability to correctly identify place values.

### What is an example of place value?

#### A

Place value is a convenient way of separating the value of each digit in a number. An example of place value can be seen when working with money. For example, $$45.86$$ consists of digits in the tens, ones, tenths, and hundredths place. When this value is split apart according to its place value, the amount becomes $$40+5+\frac{8}{10}+\frac{6}{100}$$. Place value is based on the base ten number system which is why digits increase or decrease by a factor of ten.

### What are tens and ones?

#### A

Tens and ones are represented by the first two digits to the left of the decimal point. For example, in the value $$94.0$$, the $$4$$ represents $$4$$ groups of one $$(4)$$, and the $$9$$ represents $$9$$ groups of $$10$$ $$(90)$$. When $$4$$ ones and $$9$$ tens are combined, the total value becomes $$90+4=94$$.

### What is the ones place in a decimal?

#### A

The ones place is the digit that is directly to the left of the decimal point. For example, in the value $$3.4$$, the digit $$3$$ is in the ones place. In a number with no decimal point, the ones place is the digit farthest to the right. For example, in the value $$459$$, the $$9$$ is in the ones place because $$459$$ is essentially $$459.0$$.

### Why is there no oneths place?

#### A

There is not a “oneths” place because digits to the right of the decimal point become smaller by a factor of ten. This means that moving from the ones place to the tenths place is the result of dividing $$1$$ by $$10$$, which is one-tenth, not one-oneth.

### Which place is the tenths place?

#### A

In a decimal value, the first digit to the right of the decimal point is in the tenths place. For example, in the value $$34.592$$, the digit $$5$$ is in the tenths place. This $$5$$ represents five tenths, or $$\frac{5}{10}$$.

### What is the definition of a tenth?

#### A

A tenth represents the fraction “out of ten”. In a decimal value like $$3.4$$, this means three ones, and $$4$$ tenths. Another way to look at $$3.4$$ is $$\frac{3}{1}+\frac{4}{10}$$. The tenths place is always the digit directly to the right of the decimal point.

### Where is the tens place in a number?

#### A

The tens place is always located two digits to the left of the decimal point. Remember, even whole numbers can be written with a decimal point. For example, $$34$$ can be written as $$34.0$$, which means that $$3$$ is in the tens place. This $$3$$ represents $$3$$ groups of ten. In the decimal value $$198.478$$, the second digit to the left of the decimal is $$9$$. This means that the $$9$$ represents $$9$$ groups of $$10$$, or $$90$$.

### How many tens make a thousand?

#### A

The base ten number system is convenient because all digits moving to the left become $$10$$ times as large, and all digits moving to the right become $$10$$ times smaller. This means that all place values can be compared by a factor of ten. For example, tens are $$10$$ times as large as ones. Hundreds are $$10$$ times as large as tens. Thousands are 10 times as large as hundreds. When making the jump from tens to thousands, we would need to multiply by $$10$$ twice. So it would take $$100$$ tens to make a thousand. For example, $$1{,}000$$ is $$100$$ times as large as $$10$$.

## Practice Questions

Question #1:

What is 7,645 written in expanded form?

$$7+6+4+5$$
$$76+45$$
$$7,000+600+40+5$$
$$700+64+5$$

The correct answer is $$7,000+600+40+5$$. To write a number in expanded form, write an addition problem that adds the value of each number. 7 is in the thousands place, so it represents 7,000. 6 is in the hundreds place, so it represents 600. 4 is in the tens place, so it represents 40. And 5 is in the ones place, so it represents 5. Added together this looks like: $$7,000+600+40+5$$.

Question #2:

What is the place value of 9 in 293.76?

Hundredths

Tenths

Tens

Hundreds

The correct answer is Tens. Place value names can be determined by their position in respect to the decimal point. The position to the left of the decimal point is the ones place. To the left of that is the tens place, and to the left of that is the hundreds place. The position to the right of the decimal point is the tenths place, and the one to the right of that is the hundredths place. Therefore, 9 is in the tens place.

Question #3:

What is 12,643.57 in expanded form?

$$10,000+2,000+600+40+3+\frac{5}{10}+\frac{7}{100}$$
$$12,000+643+\frac{57}{100}$$
$$12,000+600+43+\frac{57}{100}$$
$$12,643+\frac{57}{100}$$

The correct answer is $$10,000+2,000+600+40+3+\frac{5}{10}+\frac{7}{100}$$. To write a number in expanded form, write an addition problem that adds the value of each number. 1 is in the ten-thousands place, so it represents 10,000. 2 is in the thousands place, so it represents 2,000. 6 is in the hundreds place, so it represents 600. 4 is in the tens place, so it represents 40. 3 is in the ones place, so it represents 3. 5 is in the tenths place, so it represents $$\frac{5}{10}$$. And 7 is in the hundredths place, so it represents $$\frac{7}{100}$$. Added together this looks like: $$10,000+2,000+600+40+3+\frac{5}{10}+\frac{7}{100}$$

Question #4:

What is the place value of 3 in 192.36?

Tens

Ones

Tenths

Hundredths

The correct answer is Tenths. Place value names can be determined by their position in respect to the decimal point. The position to the left of the decimal point is the ones place. To the left of that is the tens place, and to the left of that is the hundreds place. The position to the right of the decimal point is the tenths place, and the one to the right of that is the hundredths place. Therefore, 3 is in the tenths place.

Question #5:

What is the place value of 6 in 162,497,132.498?

Ten-millions

Millions

Hundred-thousands

Ten-thousandths