Understanding Large and Small Numbers

Numbers can be huge, like the population of a country, or tiny, like the weight of a paper clip! Place value helps you know how much each digit in a number is worth, whether it's in the billions or in the thousandths.

Breaking Down Numbers

Each digit in a number has a special place and value. In the number 3,482, each digit means something different:

• The '3' means 3 thousands
• The '4' means 4 hundreds
• The '8' means 8 tens
• The '2' means 2 ones

With decimals, you go smaller than one! In 45.67:

• The '6' means 6 tenths
• The '7' means 7 hundredths

Why It Matters

Place value is what lets you read, write, and compare big and small numbers. It's also the secret behind adding and subtracting decimals!

Real-World Fun

• Reading the price of items at a store, where cents are decimals.
• Understanding distances, like 5.3 meters.