Chapter 2 of 6

All 6 chapters
  1. 1Hundreds, tens and ones, readunderstood
  2. 2Thousands, readunderstood
  3. 3Counting on in big steps, readunderstood
  4. 4Comparing and ordering, readunderstood
  5. 5Rounding and estimating, readunderstood
  6. 6Up to a million, and lakhs, readunderstood

M2.1.2 Chapter 2

Thousands

How do I read and write a number like 4 205?

Your guess

Pick one before you read on. It is fine to be wrong.

Your guess

  • You picked A. Read on. At the end, the chapter comes back to your guess.

  • You picked B. Read on. At the end, the chapter comes back to your guess.

  • You picked C. Read on. At the end, the chapter comes back to your guess.

By the end you can

  • Read and write numbers up to 9 999 in figures and words
  • Show 4 205 as 4 thousands, 2 hundreds and 5 ones
  • Explain what the 0 in 4 205 does

10 ones make a ten. 10 tens make a hundred. What do 10 hundreds make?

10 hundreds make 1 thousand. We write it 1 000.

Ten boxes in two rows of five, each labelled 100. Below them an equals sign and one big box labelled 1 000.100100100100100100100100100100=1 000
Ten boxes of 100 make one box of 1 000.

Our blocks have no thousand block. We draw a thousand as a box.

Now build 4 205. Watch.

Draw it first

Build 4 205

  1. Blocks for 4 205. Step 1 shows 4 boxes, each labelled 1 000, with the label 4 thousands. Step 2 adds 2 flats with the label 2 hundreds. Step 3 adds the label 0 tens and 5 small squares with the label 5 ones. Step 4 adds the sum 4 000 + 200 + 5 = 4 205.1 0001 0001 0001 0004 thousands

    1 Make 4 thousands. Each box is 1 000.

  2. Blocks for 4 205. Step 1 shows 4 boxes, each labelled 1 000, with the label 4 thousands. Step 2 adds 2 flats with the label 2 hundreds. Step 3 adds the label 0 tens and 5 small squares with the label 5 ones. Step 4 adds the sum 4 000 + 200 + 5 = 4 205.1 0001 0001 0001 0004 thousands2 hundreds

    2 Add 2 hundreds. Each flat is 100.

  3. Blocks for 4 205. Step 1 shows 4 boxes, each labelled 1 000, with the label 4 thousands. Step 2 adds 2 flats with the label 2 hundreds. Step 3 adds the label 0 tens and 5 small squares with the label 5 ones. Step 4 adds the sum 4 000 + 200 + 5 = 4 205.1 0001 0001 0001 0004 thousands2 hundreds0 tens5 ones

    3 There are no tens, so write 0 tens. Add 5 ones.

  4. Blocks for 4 205. Step 1 shows 4 boxes, each labelled 1 000, with the label 4 thousands. Step 2 adds 2 flats with the label 2 hundreds. Step 3 adds the label 0 tens and 5 small squares with the label 5 ones. Step 4 adds the sum 4 000 + 200 + 5 = 4 205.1 0001 0001 0001 0004 thousands2 hundreds0 tens5 ones4 000 + 200 + 5 = 4 205

    4 Add them up. 4 000 + 200 + 5 makes 4 205.

A place value chart with four columns: thousands, hundreds, tens and ones. The digits are 4, 2, 0 and 5.thousandshundredstensones4205
4 thousands, 2 hundreds, 0 tens and 5 ones.

Say it: four thousand, two hundred and five. Some people leave out the "and". Both are right.

The 0 is a placeholder. It holds the tens place when there are no tens.

Worked example

Write six thousand, three hundred and forty in figures.

  1. Six thousand is 6 000. The 6 is in the thousands place.
  2. Three hundred is 300. The 3 is in the hundreds place.
  3. Forty is 4 tens. The 4 is in the tens place.
  4. There are no ones, so put 0 in the ones place.

Answer: 6 340

A place value chart with four columns: thousands, hundreds, tens and ones. The digits are 7, 3, 6 and 2. Under it are three lines: seven thousand, three hundred and sixty-two.thousandshundredstensones7362seven thousandthree hundredsixty-two
Say the thousands, then the hundreds, then the tens and ones together.

Worked example

Write 7 362 in words.

  1. 7 362 is 7 thousands, 3 hundreds, 6 tens and 2 ones.
  2. Say the thousands: seven thousand.
  3. Then the rest: three hundred and sixty-two.

Answer: seven thousand, three hundred and sixty-two

See it three ways

With things

A farmer has 3 crates of 1 000 beans. She adds 2 sacks of 100. Then she adds 1 bag of 10 and 5 loose beans.

As a picture

Blocks for 3 215. Three boxes, each labelled 1 000. Below them 2 flats, 1 rod and 5 small squares.1 0001 0001 000

In symbols

3 215 = 3 000 + 200 + 10 + 5. That is 3 thousands, 2 hundreds, 1 ten and 5 ones.

Try it

Move the 0

You need: a sheet of paper, or an old page, a pencil.

  1. Draw four boxes in a row. Write thousands, hundreds, tens and ones above them.
  2. Tear four small slips of paper. Write 4, 2, 0 and 5, one on each slip.
  3. Put the slips in the boxes, left to right. Read the number.
  4. Take away the 0 slip. Slide the 4 and the 2 one box to the right. Read the number again.

What you will see: The first number is 4 205. The second is 425. The 4 now sits in the hundreds place.

If you cannot try it, this is what happens.
Two place value charts. The top chart is labelled 4 205 and has columns thousands, hundreds, tens and ones. The bottom chart is labelled 425 and has columns hundreds, tens and ones.4 205thousandshundredstensones4205425hundredstensones425

A wrong idea many people have

A 0 is worth nothing, so you can leave it out. 4 205 is the same as 425.

Why it feels right: Zero means none. It seems that nothing is lost when you drop it.

The test that breaks it: Do the slip test. When the 0 goes, the 4 drops to the hundreds place. 4 205 is 3 780 more than 425.

What is true: The 0 adds nothing. But it keeps every other digit in its place. Never leave it out.

Key words

thousand
10 hundreds, or 1 000 ones.
placeholder
a 0 that holds a place when nothing is there.

Back to your guess

The answer is B: Four thousand, two hundred and five.

The 4 is in the thousands place, so it is 4 000. The 2 is 200. The 0 holds the tens place. The 5 is 5.

Check yourself

Try each one before you look. A wrong answer tells you where to go next.

  1. How do you write six thousand, three hundred and nine in figures?

    Tap your answer.

    1. Not this one. The 3 is hundreds, not tens. There are no tens, so the 0 goes in the tens place. Go to M2.1.1. Try another.

    2. Yes, that is right. 6 thousands, 3 hundreds, 0 tens and 9 ones. 6 000 + 300 + 9 = 6 309.

    3. Not this one. You may have left out the 0. Then the 6 slides to the hundreds place. There are no tens, so write a 0 there. Try another.

    See the answer

    6 309

    6 thousands, 3 hundreds, 0 tens and 9 ones. 6 000 + 300 + 9 = 6 309.

    • If you chose A: The 3 is hundreds, not tens. There are no tens, so the 0 goes in the tens place. Go to M2.1.1.
    • If you chose C: You may have left out the 0. Then the 6 slides to the hundreds place. There are no tens, so write a 0 there.

  2. Write 5 080 as thousands, hundreds, tens and ones.

    See the answer

    5 thousands, 0 hundreds, 8 tens and 0 ones

    The 5 is in the thousands place. The 8 is in the tens place. The two 0s hold the other places.

  3. What does the 0 do in 7 046?

    Tap your answer.

    1. Not this one. Without it, 7 046 would be 746. The 7 would be worth 700, not 7 000. Try another.

    2. Yes, that is right. 7 046 is 7 thousands, 0 hundreds, 4 tens and 6 ones. Without the 0 you would get 746.

    3. Not this one. The tens digit is the 4. The 0 sits one place to its left, in the hundreds. Try another.

    See the answer

    It holds the hundreds place. There are no hundreds.

    7 046 is 7 thousands, 0 hundreds, 4 tens and 6 ones. Without the 0 you would get 746.

    • If you chose A: Without it, 7 046 would be 746. The 7 would be worth 700, not 7 000.
    • If you chose C: The tens digit is the 4. The 0 sits one place to its left, in the hundreds.

  4. Write 9 400 in words.

    Tap your answer.

    1. Not this one. Forty is 4 tens. In 9 400 the 4 is in the hundreds place. Go to M2.1.1. Try another.

    2. Not this one. That is 904, which has three digits. The 9 in 9 400 is in the thousands place. Try another.

    3. Yes, that is right. 9 400 is 9 thousands and 4 hundreds. There are no tens and no ones.

    See the answer

    nine thousand, four hundred

    9 400 is 9 thousands and 4 hundreds. There are no tens and no ones.

    • If you chose A: Forty is 4 tens. In 9 400 the 4 is in the hundreds place. Go to M2.1.1.
    • If you chose B: That is 904, which has three digits. The 9 in 9 400 is in the thousands place.

  5. From an earlier chapter

    What is the 8 worth in 683?

    See the answer

    80

    683 is 6 hundreds, 8 tens and 3 ones. 8 tens is 80.

  6. Which number is 3 thousands, 4 hundreds and 7 ones?

    Tap your answer.

    1. Not this one. You put the 7 in the tens place. It is 7 ones, so it goes in the ones place. Try another.

    2. Not this one. That has no thousands place. 3 thousands is 3 000, so the number has four digits. Go to M2.1.1. Try another.

    3. Yes, that is right. 3 000 + 400 + 0 + 7 = 3 407. There are no tens, so the 0 holds the tens place.

    See the answer

    3 407

    3 000 + 400 + 0 + 7 = 3 407. There are no tens, so the 0 holds the tens place.

    • If you chose A: You put the 7 in the tens place. It is 7 ones, so it goes in the ones place.
    • If you chose B: That has no thousands place. 3 thousands is 3 000, so the number has four digits. Go to M2.1.1.

  7. How do you say the number in the chart?

    A place value chart with four columns: thousands, hundreds, tens and ones. The digits are 3, 0, 6 and 0.thousandshundredstensones3060
    Tap your answer.

    1. Yes, that is right. The 3 is in the thousands place. The 6 is in the tens place, so it is sixty. The 0s hold the hundreds and ones.

    2. Not this one. That puts the 6 in the hundreds place. In the chart the 6 is in the tens place. Go to M2.1.1. Try another.

    3. Not this one. That leaves out the first 0. The 3 is in the thousands place, not the hundreds. Try another.

    See the answer

    three thousand and sixty

    The 3 is in the thousands place. The 6 is in the tens place, so it is sixty. The 0s hold the hundreds and ones.

    • If you chose B: That puts the 6 in the hundreds place. In the chart the 6 is in the tens place. Go to M2.1.1.
    • If you chose C: That leaves out the first 0. The 3 is in the thousands place, not the hundreds.

  8. How many hundreds make 1 thousand?

    Tap your answer.

    1. Not this one. 100 ones make 1 hundred. A thousand is a bigger group. Go to M2.1.1. Try another.

    2. Not this one. 1 000 is how many ones make a thousand. Hundreds are bigger than ones. Try another.

    3. Yes, that is right. 10 hundreds make 1 thousand. 10 × 100 = 1 000.

    See the answer

    10

    10 hundreds make 1 thousand. 10 × 100 = 1 000.

    • If you chose A: 100 ones make 1 hundred. A thousand is a bigger group. Go to M2.1.1.
    • If you chose B: 1 000 is how many ones make a thousand. Hundreds are bigger than ones.

Keep it

Copy this into your exercise book.

10 hundreds make 1 thousand. 4 205 is 4 thousands, 2 hundreds, 0 tens and 5 ones. The 0 holds the tens place. Without it you get 425.

Draw: A chart with four boxes: thousands, hundreds, tens, ones. Write 4 205 in it.

Reading with a child? A short page for the adult: what this chapter teaches and three questions to ask.

No internet tomorrow? Save the whole book as one file (675 KB). It opens on any phone.