L3 · Reading and writing numbers: words and numerals; composing numbers many ways

Learning goal

“I can read and write numbers to 100,000 in words and in numerals, and I can compose the same number in different ways by trading between places.”

Word form — a number written in words: 48,306 in word form is "forty-eight thousand, three hundred six."

Numerals (standard form) — a number written with digits: 48,306.

Compose — to build a number up from parts, e.g. 24 thousands and 5 hundreds compose 24,500.

Decompose — to break a number into parts, e.g. decomposing 24,500 into 245 hundreds.

Worked example

Write 48,306 in words, then go back. Step 1 (split at the comma): 48 thousand | 306. Step 2 (say each part): "forty-eight thousand" + "three hundred six." The tens digit is 0, so no tens word is said — but the zero still holds its place in the numerals. Step 3 (backwards): "sixty-two thousand, forty-five" -> 62 thousands and 45 ones-part: 62,045. The ones part needs three digits, so 45 is written 045 and the hundreds digit is 0. Say it plainly: read in two parts, write in two parts, and let zeros hold the empty places.

Check yourself — explain it

"Sixty-two thousand, forty-five" is written 62,045, not 62,45, because...

Paired problem — example still visible

Write 91,270 in words -> Ninety-one thousand, two hundred seventy

Faded completion — last step is yours

"Seventy thousand, nineteen" in numerals: 7 in the ten-thousands place, 0 thousands, 0 hundreds, then 19 in tens and ones -> 70,0__" -> 70,019

Ready to practise?

10 scored questions with a 3-rung hint ladder. Mastery needs 8/10 plus both gate questions.

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