Place value in decimals
Write and read decimals in a place-value table with ones, tenths and hundredths columns, build them in expanded form and compare them.
- Germany: grade 6
- Iran: grade 4
- Palestine: grade 4
- Ukraine: grade 5
Guide
The number 2.4 means 2 ones and 4 tenths. The decimal point separates the ones column from the tenths column. In the place value table, 2 goes in the ones column and 4 in the tenths column.
To the right of the tenths column is the hundredths column. Ten hundredths make one tenth, and ten tenths make one whole. Every column is worth ten times the column on its right.
A digit's value depends on its column. In 7.05 the tenths column is empty, so we fill it with a 0. 7.05 is not the same as 7.5.
We can also write a number in expanded form: 4.26 = 4 + 0.2 + 0.06. To compare numbers, start at the biggest column where the digits differ; the length of the number does not matter.