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.
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Goal Getters- Rounding to the Nearest Ten Worksheets
Score a goal and master rounding numbers on a number line with a soccer-themed rounding to the nearest ten worksheet.
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Rounding Whole Numbers Word Problem Worksheet
Explore understanding of place value to round whole numbers to a given place with this printable maths worksheet.
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Two-Digit Place Value Bingo Game (Digits and MAB)
32 different bingo cards using place value to 99.
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Place Value Bingo Game – Numbers 0–1000
Thirty-two different bingo cards using place value to 1000.
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Percy's Place Value Puzzle
A worksheet to use to consolidate student understanding of place value to the thousands.
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Number Grid Interactive Activity
Share this number grid interactive activity with your students to give them practice adding and subtracting ten and one from a given number.
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Money Place Value Chart Activity Set
‘Bank’ on this money place value chart activity set to make teaching decimal concepts a breeze!
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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.
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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.
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Ordering Integers Activity — Task Cards
Introduce this ordering integers activity to your students to give them experience ordering positive and negative numbers.
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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.
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Place Value Bingo Game Numbers Up to 1 000 000
Practise place value knowledge in numbers up to 1 000 000 with this set of bingo cards.
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Reading and Writing 4-Digit Numbers Flipbook
Practise knowledge of 4-digit numbers with this engaging flipbook.
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4-Digit Mystery Numbers Interactive Activity
Explore 4-digit numbers with this fun mystery-themed interactive activity .
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Missing Numbers in Expanded Form Worksheet
Practise converting double digit numbers into their expanded form with this easy to use student worksheet.
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2-Digit Numbers Interactive Activity
Explore double digit numbers in a variety of different scenarios with this engaging interactive activity for your classroom.
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Roll and Expand Numbers Worksheet Pack
Explore place value with you rstudents using this set of levelled expanding numbers worksheets.
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Number Line Bubble Drop - Ordering Activity
Practise ordering whole numbers on a number line with a fun ocean-themed interactive activity.
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Place Value Cacti - 3-Digit Expanded Form Activity
Build 3-digit numbers in expanded form with a fun cactus-themed place value activity.
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Place Value Penguin - Spreadsheet Pixel Art Activity
Practise identifying numbers in word form, expanded form, and standard form with a fun spreadsheet pixel art activity.
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Place Value STEM Challenge - Number Forms
Show numbers in picture, word, and expanded forms with an engaging Place Value S.T.E.M. Activity!
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Place Value War - Number Game
A fun 3-digit place value game for students to play in the classroom.
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Index Notation Worksheet — Tarsia Puzzle
Share this index notation worksheet with your students to give them practice evaluating exponential expressions in a fun puzzle format.
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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.
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Number Maze Worksheet Set (Ordering Numbers to 120)
Share this number maze worksheet set with your students for a fun way to practise ordering numbers to 120 from least to greatest.
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Place Value Castle Activity
Help students consolidate their understanding of hundreds, tens and ones with this fun place value castle activity.
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Year 5 - Decimal Place Value Assessment
Assess your students' skills with decimals and place value using a printable Year 5 Decimal Place Value Test.
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Daily Spiral Maths Worksheet (3-4)
Review a variety of place value and number sense standards with a daily spiral maths review worksheet.
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3-Digit Interactive Clip Cards
Practise knowledge of 3-Digit numbers with this interactive clip card resource.
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Reading and Writing 2-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practise converting expanded form numbers into their standard form with this worksheet.
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Expanded Form Interactive Task Cards
Explore expanding numbers with your students using these interactive task cards, reviewing numbers in expanded form and place value charts.
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3-Digit Place Value Cover Up Game
Engage students in understanding place value to the hundreds with this place value card game.