Place Value Teaching Resources
Browse place value charts, printable worksheets, games and more teaching resources aligned to the Australian curriculum.
This collection of teacher-created resources has been carefully reviewed by the expert teachers on the Teach Starter team to ensure every single one is ready to use in the classroom. That means you can save hours on lesson planning with activities ready to print or use digitally!
Want to learn more about this section of the maths curriculum, or just looking for fresh ideas to engage your students? Read on for a primer from our teacher team, including a look at the meaning of place value and tips on teaching place value in the classroom!
What Is Place Value? A Kid-Friendly Definition
When it comes time to teach place value, it helps to have a simple definition to use to introduce this core maths concept to your class. Here's how we explain the meaning to our students:
In maths, the term place value refers to the value of a digit in relation to its position in a number. For example, in the decimal system (also referred to as the Hindu-Arabic system), which is based on powers of 10, the value of a digit in a number depends on its position relative to the decimal point, as follows:
- The digit in the ones place has a value of 1 times the digit.
- The digit in the tens place has a value of 10 times the digit.
- The digit in the hundreds place has a value of 100 times the digit.
- The digit in the thousands place has a value of 1000 times the digit.
- And so on.
Place Value Example
Like most maths concepts, looking at place value examples with your students is key to helping them understand the concept. So let's look at an example of place value using the number 3245:
- 3 is in the thousands place
- 2 is in the hundreds place
- 4 is in the tens place
- 5 is in the ones place
Therefore, its value can be calculated as:
(3 x 1000) + (2 x 100) + (4 x 10) + (5 x 1) = 3000 +200 +40 + 5 = 3245.
Why Is Place Value Important?
Place value is an important concept for primary students to understand, as it is a major factor in understanding numbers and their overall value.
Understanding place value is also essential for performing the four maths operations, and it will help students as they move on toward working with decimal fractions, scientific notation and other mathematical concepts.
What Is a Place Value Chart?
A handy tool for teaching this maths concept is the place value chart! This visual teaching tool can be used to represent and organise numbers based on their value and position in a given number.
A place value chart is typically divided into columns representing the different powers of 10 in our number system. Each column is labelled with the name of the place value it represents (e.g. ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.) and contains a series of boxes or cells — each of which corresponds to a single digit.
The rightmost column will represent the ones place, the next column to the left will represent the tens place, the next represents the hundreds place, and so on.
Place Value vs. Face Value — What's the Difference?
At some point, your students may ask about face value — after all, the terms sound similar! So are they interchangeable? The answer is no.
Face value and place value — despite their similar names — are not the same, but they are related.
As we've already noted, the place value of a digit tells us the value of that digit based on its position in a number. The place value of a digit changes depending on where it is in the number.
On the other hand, the face value of a digit tells us the actual value of the digit itself, regardless of its position in the number. So, for example, in the number 357, the face value of the digit 5 is simply 5.
In essence, place value is what helps us understand the value of a number based on the position of its digits, but face value is what helps us understand the value of individual digits in a number.
- Plus Plan
Partitioning 3-Digit Numbers Matching Activity
Help children partition 3-digit numbers by identifying the place value of hundreds, tens, and ones with this matching activity.
- Free Plan
Number Talks - Place Value Task Cards
Build number sense skills in 3-digit skills with this set of 24 task cards.
- Plus Plan
3-Digit Roll It, Make It, Expand It! - Place Value Worksheet
A worksheet for students to use when learning about the place value of three-digit numbers.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Chart with Decimals
Display this place value chart in your classroom to remind your students of place value from millions to millionths.
- Plus Plan
Multiply by Powers of 10 Worksheet Set
Use our multiply by powers of 10 worksheet set to give your students practise multiplying whole numbers by 10, 100 and 1000.
- Plus Plan
Games for Rounding — 'Rounding Match-Up'
Explore games for rounding your students will love, like this 'Rounding Match-Up' activity!
- Plus Plan
I Have, Who Has? - Place Value Maths Game (5-Digit Numbers)
Use a 5-Digit Place Value Maths game to engage your students and practise identifying and reading five digit numbers.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Poster Set — Whole Numbers
Display this colourful place value poster set in your classroom to remind your students of place values to the millions and billions.
- Plus Plan
Ordering Two-Digit Numbers Task Cards (Numbers 1 - 120)
Utilise these Ordering Two-Digit Numbers Task Cards in a unit on comparing and ordering numbers to 120.
- Plus Plan
Year 5 - Decimal Place Value Assessment
Assess your students' skills with decimals and place value using a printable Year 5 Decimal Place Value Test.
- Free Plan
Which Is More? Counting Card Game
Compare and order collections up to 20 with this set of counting cards.
- Plus Plan
Reading and Writing 2-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practise converting expanded form numbers into their standard form with this worksheet.
- Plus Plan
Roll and Expand Numbers Worksheet Pack
Explore place value with you rstudents using this set of levelled expanding numbers worksheets.
- Free Plan
Tens and Ones 2-Digit Place Value Mat
Build two-digit numbers and improve place value skills with a printable tens and ones math mat.
- Plus Plan
Rounding Numbers Cut and Paste - Worksheets
Provide your students with engaging practise to help them understand rounding with a set of differentiated rounding worksheets.
- Plus Plan
Interactive PowerPoint - 2-Digit Place Value Game
Review various Year 1 place value concepts with an interactive place value warmup.
- Free Plan
Maths Mazes (Place Value)
Determine the correct paths through each maze using knowledge of place value.
- Plus Plan
Flip, Draw, Expand! - Place Value Worksheet (5-Digit Numbers)
A worksheet to use when consolidating understanding of place value to tens of thousands.
- Plus Plan
3-Digit Place Value Warm Up - Interactive PowerPoint
An engaging 44 slide interactive PowerPoint to use when learning about place value to 3-digits.
- Plus Plan
Roll It, Make It, Expand It! - Place Value Worksheet
A worksheet for students to use when learning about the place value of two-digit numbers.
- Plus Plan
Dividing by Powers of 10 Worksheet Set
Utilise this dividing by powers of 10 worksheet set to give your students practise dividing whole numbers by 10, 100 and 1000.
- Plus Plan
Interactive Rounding Game — "Four Corners"
Play this interactive rounding game with your class or assign it to individual students for a fun way to practise rounding whole numbers.
- Plus Plan
I Have, Who Has? – Place Value Games (2-Digit Numbers)
Reinforce your students understanding of 2-digit Place Value concepts with printable Place Value Games for Year 1 students.
- Plus Plan
Ordering Large Numbers Worksheet Set
Share this ordering large numbers worksheet set with your students to evaluate their skill in ordering numbers from the thousands to the millions.
- Plus Plan
Rounding Numbers PPT — Rounding Roller Coaster Method
Present this roller coaster-themed rounding numbers PPT to your students to teach or review how to round large numbers.
- Plus Plan
Maths Maze Worksheet Set (Ordering Numbers to 20)
Share this maths maze worksheet set with your students to give them practise ordering numbers from least to greatest.
- Plus Plan
Early Learning Maths Activity (Ordering Numbers)
Share this early learning maths activity with your students to give them practise ordering numbers 0 to 20 or 0 to 120.
- Plus Plan
Place Value Pizza - Maths Craft
Demonstrate understanding of the different ways to model three-digit numbers with a fun Place Value Pizza maths craft activity.
- Plus Plan
Exploring 3-Digit Place Value PowerPoint
Explore place value concepts related to 3-digit numbers with an engaging, interactive teaching slide deck.
- Free Plan
Expanded Notation Poster
Explore the world of expanded notation with a printable classroom poster that easily explains the concept for students!
- Plus Plan
Place Value Bingo Game Numbers Up to 10 000
Practise place value knowledge in numbers up to 10 000 with this set of bingo cards.
- Plus Plan
4-Digit Number Riddles Cut and Paste
Use these 4-digit number worksheets to help students practise matching numbers up to 10 000 with their word and expanded forms.