Place Value Teaching Resources
Browse place value charts, printable worksheets, games and more teaching resources created by teachers, for teachers like you.
This collection of curriculum-aligned and editable 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 math 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?
In math, 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, 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 math 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 3,245:
- 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 = 3,245.
Why Is Place Value Important?
Place value is an important concept for elementary 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 math 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 math concept is the place value chart! This visual teaching tool can be used to represent and organize numbers based on their value and position in a given number.
How to Use a Place Value Chart
A place value chart is typically divided into columns representing the different powers of 10 in our number system. Each column is labeled 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 corresponding 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.
Students can place a particular number in their place value chart, determine its value, and then figure out two-digit, three-digit, four-digit, and larger numbers.
To read a place value chart, students work their way left or right. For example, if you start from the "ones" place, you can go left one space to the "tens" place, then on to the "hundreds" place and so on. As students enter the intermediate grades, they begin to learn about numbers to the right of the decimal point (tenths, hundredths, thousandths, etc.).
Place Value vs. Face Value
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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Place Value Slider Set
Break out this place value slider set for a hands-on way to demonstrate multiplying and dividing whole numbers and decimals by powers of ten.
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4-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Practice reading and writing 4-digit numbers using expanded form with this printable PDF worksheet.
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Place Value Banner - Billions to Thousandths
A banner that displays extended place value.
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Rounding PPT — "Rounding With Reasoning"
Use this engaging rounding PPT to teach your students to round with reasoning — not rules!
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Caterpillar - Ordering Numbers Worksheets
Share these ordering numbers worksheets with your students to help them master sequencing numbers.
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Expanded Form Worksheet Pack
Practice expanding 2-digit to 6-digit numbers with this set of 5 worksheets.
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Find a Friend Expanded Form Worksheet
Explore expanding 2-digit to 6-digit numbers with your students with this expanding form active worksheet.
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Number Forms Quiz
Test your students' skills with recognizing and writing numbers in word form and expanded form with this quick formative assessment.
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Thanksgiving Math Worksheets for 2nd Grade - Place Value
Match number, word, and expanded forms of numbers with a fun set of printable Thanksgiving Math worksheets for second grade.
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Place Value Color by Number Worksheets
Share these place value color by number worksheets with your students for a fun way to review place value up to the hundred thousands place.
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Rounding Anchor Chart — Rounding Roller Coaster!
Hang our rounding anchor chart in your classroom for a fun reminder of how to round numbers — roller coaster style!
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2-Digit Numbers in Expanded Form Worksheet
Explore two-digit numbers in standard form and expanded form with this set of two cut-and-paste style worksheets.
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Rounding to the Nearest 10 Worksheet
Teach your students to round to the nearest 10 with this printable math worksheet designed for 3rd and 4th grade students.
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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 Task Cards
Use place value knowledge to round numbers up through the hundred thousands place with this free set of 20 task cards.
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How to Write 2-Digit and 3-Digit Numbers Worksheet
Explore how to represent number values in standard form, word form, expanded form, and picture form with this multipurpose place value worksheet.
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Multiply and Divide by Powers of 10 Worksheet Set
Share this multiply and divide by powers of 10 worksheet set to give your students practice multiplying and dividing whole numbers by 10, 100, and 1,000.
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Exponents Activity — Tarsia Puzzle
Share this exponents activity with your students to give them practice evaluating exponent expressions in a fun puzzle format.
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Place Value Patterns Worksheet
Use this place value patterns worksheet to help your students analyze patterns in decimal place values out to the thousandths place.
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Decimal Place Value Chart
Provide your students with our decimal place value chart to make comparing and ordering decimals a breeze!
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Rounding Whole Numbers Worksheets
Share these rounding whole numbers worksheets with your students so they can cut-and-paste their way to understanding rounding.
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Exploring 3-Digit Place Value PowerPoint
Explore place value concepts related to 3-digit numbers with an engaging, interactive teaching slide deck.
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Which Is More? Counting Card Game
Compare and order numbers to 20 with this set of counting cards.
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Thanksgiving Place Value for 2nd Grade - Interactive
Review 2 and 3-digit place value concepts with an interactive Thanksgiving Math Activity.
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Thanksgiving Turkey Hide! - Place Value Worksheet
Save the Thanksgiving Turkeys and practice modeling numbers in base ten with a printable Thanksgiving Math Worksheet
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Hundreds Place Value Number Expander Template
Reinforce place value and writing 3-digit numbers in expanded form with your students.
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Ordering Numbers Worksheets- Halloween Cut and Paste
Share these ordering numbers worksheets with your students for some spook-tacular Halloween fun!
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Rounding to the Nearest 100 Worksheet
Help your students find the correct bone for each dog by rounding to the nearest hundreds place with this math worksheet designed for 3rd and 4th-grade students.
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Place Value Charts — Printable Math Mats
Practice place value concepts, addition, and subtraction with a printable set of free place value charts.
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Worksheets - Rounding Using a Vertical Number Line
Use a vertical number line to round whole numbers to the tens, hundreds, and thousands place with a pack of differentiated rounding worksheets.
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Rounding Whole Numbers – Word Problem and Error Analysis Worksheet
Solve a variety of rounding word problems and analyze errors with this math worksheet.
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Rounding Numbers - Instructional Slide Deck
Teach the basics of rounding numbers with this engaging and animated PowerPoint.