EDEXCEL GCSE FOUNDATION MATHS - What is Place Value

Edexcel GCSE Foundation Maths: What is Place Value?

Place value is the value of a digit based on its position in a number. Understanding place value is crucial for understanding and performing basic mathematical operations like addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division.

Understanding Place Value

Let's break down place value using the number 3,456:

• Thousands: The digit "3" is in the thousands place. It represents 3 groups of 1000, or 3000.
• Hundreds: The digit "4" is in the hundreds place. It represents 4 groups of 100, or 400.
• Tens: The digit "5" is in the tens place. It represents 5 groups of 10, or 50.
• Ones: The digit "6" is in the ones place. It represents 6 individual units.

Therefore, the number 3,456 is actually 3000 + 400 + 50 + 6.

Key Points about Place Value:

• Decimal Point: The decimal point separates the whole number part from the fractional part of a number.
• Fractional Part: Place values to the right of the decimal point represent fractions of 1.
• Larger Numbers: Place value continues for larger numbers like ten-thousands, hundred-thousands, millions, etc.

Practice:

1. Identify the place value of the underlined digit in the following numbers:

2. 27, 315

3. 12, 890

4. 3.45

5. Write the number represented by the following place value chart:

1. Write the number 8,902 in expanded form (using place values).

Conclusion:

Understanding place value is fundamental to comprehending and working with numbers. This tutorial helps you grasp the concept and provides practice exercises to solidify your understanding. Remember, place value is the foundation upon which other mathematical concepts are built!