Numbers to a million

For grown-ups: this lesson in words

Years 5 and 6 · Maths

Numbers to a million: I can read, compare, count with and round numbers up to a million.

1. Here is a six-digit number: 346,215. Each digit sits in its own column.

   From the right: ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands.

   In 346,215, the comma sits after the thousands. It helps us read it: three hundred and forty-six thousand, then two hundred and fifteen.

   Picture: A place value chart showing 346,215: 3 hundred thousands, 4 ten thousands, 6 thousands, 2 hundreds, 1 ten and 5 ones.

2. The 4 is in the ten thousands column, so it is worth 4 ten thousands: 40,000.

   Partition it: 300,000 + 40,000 + 6,000 + 200 + 10 + 5 = 346,215.

   A digit's value comes from its column, not just from the digit itself.

   Picture: A place value chart showing 346,215: 3 hundred thousands, 4 ten thousands, 6 thousands, 2 hundreds, 1 ten and 5 ones. It is split into 300,000, 40,000, 6,000, 200, 10 and 5. The ten thousands column is highlighted.

3. Your turn: Here is 572,384 in a place value chart. What is the value of the digit 7?

   Picture: A place value chart showing 572,384: 5 hundred thousands, 7 ten thousands, 2 thousands, 3 hundreds, 8 tens and 4 ones.

   Choose one:

   • 7
   • 700
   • 7,000
   • 70,000

   Answer

   The answer: 70,000

   70,000. The 7 is in the ten thousands column, so it is worth 7 ten thousands, which is 70,000.

   Picture: A place value chart showing 572,384: 5 hundred thousands, 7 ten thousands, 2 thousands, 3 hundreds, 8 tens and 4 ones. It is split into 500,000, 70,000, 2,000, 300, 80 and 4. The ten thousands column is highlighted.

Words to know

digit:

One of the symbols 0 to 9 that we write numbers with.

place value:

What a digit is worth because of the column it sits in.

partition:

Split a number into the value of each of its digits.

round:

Change a number to the nearest 10, 100, 1,000 and so on.