Understanding Place Value in Decimals

Refresher on Basic Place Value

• Number Example: 973
  • Ones Place: Rightmost space, represents units.
  • Tens Place: Next left, 10 times the ones place.
  • Hundreds Place: Further left, 10 times the tens place.
  • Example Breakdown:
    • 9 represents 900 (nine hundreds).
    • 7 represents 70 (seven tens).
    • 3 represents 3 (three ones).

Introducing Decimal Place Values

• Decimal Point: Marks the position of the ones place.
• Moving Right of the Decimal:
  • Places to the right represent fractional values.

Decimal Places Breakdown

• Tenths Place:
  • One place to the right of the decimal.
  • Value is 1 divided by 10.
• Hundredths Place:
  • Two places to the right of the decimal.
  • Value is 1/10 of a tenth or 1/100.
• Thousandths Place:
  • Three places to the right of the decimal.
  • Value is 1/10 of a hundredth or 1/1000.

Example with Decimals

• Number Example: 973.526
  • 5 in Tenths Place: Represents 0.5 or 5/10.
  • 2 in Hundredths Place: Represents 0.02 or 2/100.
  • 6 in Thousandths Place: Represents 0.006 or 6/1,000.

Conclusion

• Place Value System: Can extend indefinitely to the right of the decimal.
• Precision: Allows for representation of more precise values.