What is number value?
A number tells us how many. Numbers up to 1000 are made from ones, tens and hundreds. When we know a number's value, we can say which group has more and which has fewer. This helps us count, order and compare things in real life, like counting stickers or coins.
Key idea
To compare, look at the hundreds first, then the tens, then the ones. The number with more hundreds is bigger.
Comparing numbers
Let's compare 456 and 465. Both have 4 hundreds, so look at the tens. 456 has 5 tens and 465 has 6 tens. Because 6 tens is more than 5 tens, 465 is bigger.
Worked example
Which is smaller, 208 or 280? Both have 2 hundreds. 208 has 0 tens and 280 has 8 tens. 0 tens is fewer, so 208 is smaller.
Remember
- More hundreds means a bigger number.
- Use > for bigger and < for smaller.
- A 0 in a place still counts.