Place value why is it important

One of the assumptions of mastering math is that you just need to memorize the formula and plug in the numbers. But to truly excel in any field, you must also understand the concept and the reasoning behind it so that you can play around with it.

Well, this learning perspective can be applied to concepts in elementary school math as well. Thus, a number like has a 4 in the hundreds place, a 6 in the tens place, and a 5 in the ones place. The digit 4, in the hundreds place, does not represent 4 — it represents This idea is generally introduced in the lower elementary grades in order to help students manipulate numbers and solve problems.

This method avoids carrying over in multiplication, which is where a lot of students make calculation errors. The concept that numbers can be broken apart and put back together gives the student a more solid understanding of how different operations work. Not only that, but the student can also figure out how to solve problems independently by playing with the numbers. Place value allows the student learning scientific notation to understand why 54,, can be represented as 5.

Studies have shown that place value understanding has a positive correlation with overall mathematics achievement. There would have been no need to memorize and forget an algorithm! Hopefully you are convinced that place value is important, but does it really matter how it is taught? Research has shown a correlation between using base-ten manipulative representations of numbers as opposed to one-to-one representations and understanding of place value.

The Math-U-See presentation of place value using Decimal Street and our color-coded pieces for units, tens, and hundreds supports this desired base-ten representation. Additionally, studies have shown that the way numbers are verbalized by English-language speakers may negatively influence the way students think about and represent numbers in comparison to Asian-language speakers. Math-U-See provides some alternate number naming strategies to help bridge this gap and promote better understanding of base ten.

We invite you to watch the video presentation on place value and see how Math-U-See can help your student gain a better understanding of this foundational concept. Accelerated Individualized Mastery AIM provides a new solution for struggling math students with gaps in their foundational math skills set.

The AIM programs use proven Math-U-See strategies and manipulatives in combination with an accelerated approach to help students successfully master math concepts.

If teaching remotely, use digital versions of the mat and chart. Prerequisite Skills and Concepts: Children should know how to count to They should be familiar with number words and what they look like when written. Unless teaching remotely, have children put their cubes off to the side on a different surface or in a container. Note publicly that there were 26 cubes. Give children 26 more cubes. Ask : Make as many groups of ten as you can. How many groups of ten can you make?

Children should say they have 2 groups of tens, or 2 tens. Once children show a good understanding of place value with tens and ones, introduce place value with hundreds, tens, and ones. Key Standard: Understand that the three digits of a three-digit number represent amounts of hundreds, tens, and ones. CCSS 2. Preparation: Create a hundreds place-value mat for each child. If teaching remotely, use digital versions of the mat. Prerequisite Skills and Concepts: Children should know place value with tens and ones.

Wrap-Up and Assessment Hints Place value needs lots of practice. Reinforce the vocabulary. Remind children that it is very important to listen and write a number carefully; that the numbers should be in order and that the numbers should be in the correct position.

As you assess each child, check the placement of the written numbers. Give a lesson on the significance of National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day with these Pearl Harbor activities for elementary and middle school students. Teach your students about the different ways to describe data, including the concepts of mean average , median, and mode.

Sign In. Cart 0. My Account. Tweet Tweet Share. What Is Place Value in Math? In standard form , the number modeled above is What Is a Place-Value Chart? Introducing the Concept: Place Value to 1, Before second grade, children have usually worked with place value through Download this free resource pack of place value worksheets, questions and teaching aids.

All resources support a maths mastery approach as used by the majority of primary schools. Place value is arguably one of the most important areas of the primary maths curriculum.

Every year group has a set of objectives specifically focused on number and place value. Come September every year in primary school your child is likely to be recapping previous place value work and building on it with larger or smaller in the case of decimals numbers. Pupils may also begin to recognise place value in numbers beyond 20 by reading, writing, counting and comparing numbers up to , supported by objects and pictorial representations.

By the end of year 2, pupils should know the number bonds to 20 and be precise in using and understanding place value. Throughout primary school, two concrete maths resources are used to help make place value easy to understand for children. Both of the following aids do this by representing place value in a visual manner. These cubes are a simple way for children make different numbers. To make the number , they would need to gather one set of , 7 sets of 10 and four single cubes.

Arrow cards are simple visual representations of hundreds, tens and units that children can manipulate to create different numbers and learn about place value. Children may be asked to make up numbers to show that they have a firm grasp on place value.

For example, if a child was asked to make the number , they would place the 40 card over the last two digits on the one, and the 1 card over the last digit on the 40 card. Understanding place value is crucial for children before they can move on to adding and subtracting two-digit numbers.

Place value is intrinsically linked to many other areas of maths; a solid understanding of place value is vital in order to allow children to competently add, subtract, multiply and divide, amongst other things. In Year 2 , recording addition and subtraction in columns supports place value and prepares for formal written methods with larger numbers. Year 2 also connects the 10 multiplication table to place value.