🔢 Place Value

Every Digit Has a Place

In the number 347, each digit means something different depending on its position:

• The 3 is in the hundreds place — it means 300
• The 4 is in the tens place — it means 40
• The 7 is in the ones place — it means 7

So 347 = 300 + 40 + 7. This is called expanded form.

Comparing Numbers

When comparing two numbers, always start with the largest place value first (hundreds, then tens, then ones).

• 458 vs 372 → 4 hundreds > 3 hundreds → 458 is greater
• 256 vs 261 → same hundreds (2), tens: 5 vs 6 → 261 is greater