1st Grade Math

Fundamental mathematics concepts for first grade students including basic arithmetic, counting, and number sense.

Basic Concepts

Understanding Place Value

What is Place Value?

Place value helps us understand what each digit in a number means. In the number 12, the "1" stands for ten, and the "2" stands for two ones.

Tens and Ones

Numbers can be broken down into groups of tens and ones. So, 34 is 3 tens (which is 30) and 4 ones.

  • 23 means two tens and three ones.

Why Place Value Matters

Place value helps us count bigger numbers and know how much each digit is worth.

Real-World Use

We use place value when counting money, reading numbers in books, or keeping score in games.

Examples

  • Reading the number 15 as one ten and five ones.

  • Counting 2 dimes and 3 pennies as 23 cents.

In a Nutshell

Place value tells us what each digit means in a number.

Key Terms

Digit
A single number from 0 to 9.
Tens
A group of ten ones.
Ones
Individual units in a number.