Imagine you are counting the coins in your money box. You have some £100 notes, some £10 notes, and some £1 coins. The number 462 works just the same way: the 4 is really 400, the 6 is really 60, and the 2 is just 2.
Why this matters: Knowing what each digit is worth helps you read prices in the shop, share money fairly, and add and subtract big numbers without getting muddled.
Hundreds, tens and units
Every 3-digit number has three columns. The column tells you the value.
| Hundreds | Tens | Units |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 6 | 2 |
| 400 | 60 | 2 |
So 462 = 400 + 60 + 2. We call this partitioning (breaking the number into parts).
Comparing numbers
To compare, look at the hundreds first, then the tens, then the units. We use these signs:
385 < 512 (385 is smaller, so the crocodile mouth points to the small one)
740 > 704 (both have 7 hundreds, but 4 tens beats 0 tens)
209 = 209 (exactly the same)
740 > 704 (both have 7 hundreds, but 4 tens beats 0 tens)
209 = 209 (exactly the same)
Ordering
To put numbers in order, keep comparing the hundreds, then the tens, then the units.
Put these numbers in order, smallest first:
- 118
- 181
- 811
Try it: find the number
Tap where 70 belongs on this line.