Place Values and Number Symbols

Learn about place values and number symbols and understanding the meaning of place values. This course is ideal for intermediate learners.

Introduction 

Did you know that all numbers are written using only ten digits? Every number that you can think of uses one or more of these digits:
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
 
For example, 257 is a three-digit number because it has three digits. It can also be called a three-figure number.
Place value
Consider the digit 5 in these numbers:
5, 50, 500, 5000
Whether the 5 stands for five, fifty, five hundred, or five thousand depends on the position of the digit in the number. This is called its place value.
 
Understanding place value means that we can read any number, however small or big.
To understand place values we can put digits into columns in a place value table, like the one below. These columns are always in the same order.

You will learn 

1. Understand the meaning of place values
2. Know how zero is used as a placeholder
3. Be able to write numbers in words and figures
4. Be able to use place value to read numbers written in figures
5. Be able to use place value to place numbers in order