🖨️Free Printable
Place Value Chart (Printable PDF)
Understanding place value is the foundation of all number work. Here's a chart that makes it click.
⏱️ 1 min read
"Why is 30 different from 3?" That's essentially what place value teaches. The position of a digit determines its value. A simple concept, but one that trips up many kids when they first encounter multi-digit numbers.
The Place Value System
Here's how it works, from right to left:
| Billions | Millions | Thousands | Hundreds | Tens | Ones |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1,000,000,000 | 1,000,000 | 1,000 | 100 | 10 | 1 |
Example: Breaking Down 4,352
The number 4,352 means:
- 4 thousands = 4,000
- 3 hundreds = 300
- 5 tens = 50
- 2 ones = 2
4,000 + 300 + 50 + 2 = 4,352 ✓
Why Place Value Matters
- Addition & Subtraction — Lining up columns is all about place value
- Multiplication — Understanding why 30 × 4 = 120 (not 12)
- Decimals — Tenths, hundredths, thousandths extend the pattern
- Rounding — Which digit do you look at? Depends on place value
🛠️ Practice Place Value
Use our tools to reinforce place value concepts:
Tips for Teaching Place Value
- Use physical objects: bundles of 10 straws, base-10 blocks
- Money is great: $1 = 100 cents (10 dimes or 100 pennies)
- Write numbers in expanded form: 352 = 300 + 50 + 2
- Play "what's the value of this digit?" games
Written by the PanMaths Team • Your Math Learning Companion