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Place Value – Definition with Examples

Phoebe Belza-Barrientos

Updated on January 7, 2026

There are no existing difficult math topics when you are in the Brighterly knowledge base. With easy words today, we’ll explain what does place value mean, go through place value examples, and show you how to use a place values chart for different operations.

You’ll learn how each digit in a number has a unique value depending on its position, why this matters for addition, subtraction, and multiplication, and how breaking numbers into parts makes math easier and more fun. By the end, understanding place value will feel simple and clear, no matter the number size!

What is place value?

Numbers have a place value for each digit. By definition, a digit’s place value is the value it represents based on its position in a number.

In math place value of a digit refers to the value of that digit within a number, i.e., its place relative to the decimal. Each digit within a number has a specific place. We expand the place of each digit when we represent a number in standard notation. Beginning from the rightmost position, called the unit’s place or one’s position, the arrangement proceeds leftward. As you move from right to left, place value definition in math includes units, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousand, hundred thousand, and so on.

As an example, 8 in 2,854 is 800 or 8 hundred. However, 8 in 8,543 has a place value of 8,000 or 8 thousand. Both numbers have the same digits, but their place value changes when the digit’s position changes. When we figured out whats place value is, let’s explore place valur chart.

Place value chart

A place value chart is a useful table format that tells us the place value of each digit in a number based on its position. 

In a place value chart, a digit’s place value increases by ten times as we move left and decreases by ten times as we move right.  

Below the example of how drawing the place value chart can help in finding the place value of a number. 

As shown in the number 27,457

• 2 has a place value of 20,000 and is in the tens thousands.
• 7 has a place value of 7,000 in the thousands place.
• 4 has a place value of 400 in the hundreds.
• 5 is in the tens place and has a place value of 50.
• 7 is in the ones place and has a place value of 7.

Comparing numbers is easier when you understand the place value math of digits. Additionally, it makes it easier to write numbers in their expanded form. As an example, 27,457 is 20,000 + 7,000 + 400 + 50 + 7. 

Place value using base ten blocks

It is also possible to represent the place value definition of digits in numbers using base-ten blocks. In order to determine the place value of a number using the base ten blocks, let us first understand what each block represents.

Decimal place value

Decimal numbers are fractions or mixed numbers with powers of ten as denominators. A decimal number is composed of digits to the left of the decimal point, which represent whole numbers. To the right of the decimal are the parts. Towards the right of the decimal point, the digits’ place value decreases by 10 times.

The first digit after the decimal point represents tenths, i.e., 110. In the next place, the number is ten times smaller, so 1100, and so on. 

Decimal place value chart

The table below will help you to find the decimal place quickly and easily:

In 18.479, 18 is the whole number part, 1 is in tens, 10 is in ones, and 8 is in ones. 

The decimal point is followed by three digits,               

• The value of 4 in the tenth place is 0.4 or 410
• The value of 7 is in the hundredths place, which is 0.07 or 7100
• The value of 9 is in the thousandths place, which is 0.009 or 91000

Difference between place value and face value

The place value meaning isn’t the same as the face value. The Face Value of a digit describes its actual value. It doesn’t matter what the digit or position in the given number is, since 80,456 is a valuable number. There will be only 6 face values in 80,456. As a result, the Face value of the digit is always the same as the numerical value of the digit. For a better understanding of the difference, take a look at this simple table:

Place value worksheets

To keep in mind the information you got, we created useful worksheets about place value for kids. Here are the necessary worksheets for place value chart 4th grade and others! Check them out, print and use when it’s needed!

• 2nd Grade Place Value Worksheets
• Place Value Worksheets 3rd Grade
• 5th Grade Place Value Worksheets
• Place Value Worksheets

Solved examples on place value

Example 1: Find the place value of the digits in 4826.

Solution:

Given number is 4826

• Place value of 4 is: 4×1000=4000
• Place value of 8 is: 8×100=800
• Place value of 2 is: 2×10=20
• Place value of 6 is: 6×1=6

Example 2: Find the place value of digits in 937.

Solution:

Given number is 937

• Place value of 9 is: 9×100=900
• Place value of 3 is: 3×10=30
• Place value of 7 is: 7×1=7

Example 3: Find the place value of digits in 10528.

Solution:

Given number is 10528

• Place value of 1 is: 1×10000=10000
• Place value of 0 is: 0×1000=0 × 1000 = 0
• Place value of 5 is: 5×100=500
• Place value of 2 is: 2×10=20
• Place value of 8 is: 8×1=8

Example 4: What is the number place value of 3 in 634?

Solution:

Given number is 634

• Place value of 3 is 3×10=30

Example 5: What is the product of a place value and face value of 2 in 428?

Solution:

• Place value of 2 is 2×10=20
• Face value of 2 is 2

Hence, product of face value and place value = 2×20=40

It’s time for place value practice!

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Practice problems on place values

1.  Determine the value assigned to the digit 7 based on its location in 3,742.
   A) 7
   B) 700
   C) 70
   D) 7000
2. Find the place value of 5 in 5,608.
   A) 500
   B) 50
   C) 5000
   D) 5
3. In the number 9,325, what does the digit 2 represent?
   A) 2
   B) 20
   C) 200
   D) 2000
4. The place value of 4 in 24,061 is:
   A) 4
   B) 400
   C) 4000
   D) 40000

Frequently Asked Questions on Place Value

What is place value?

Place value tells us how much a digit is worth based on where it sits in a number. Each digit contributes differently to the total number, increasing by powers of ten as it moves left. That is what is place value in math.

What is a place value chart?

A place value chart is a table that organizes digits of a number according to their positions, such as ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, and so on, helping visualize and understand each digit’s place value.

How to use a place value chart?

To use a place value chart, write each digit of a number in its correct column. This helps identify each digit’s place value and makes operations like addition, subtraction, and expanded form representation easier.

How to use a place value chart for multiplication?

For multiplication, a place value chart helps break numbers into parts (like hundreds, tens, ones), multiply each part separately, and then combine results, making calculations simpler and reducing errors.

Phoebe Belza-Barrientos

16 articles

Phoebe Belza-Barrientos is a Brighterly math tutor with 13 years of teaching background. Math is far more than just another basic subject for Phoebe; it’s a passion she now channels into every lesson. She builds study materials in a way that her students begin to feel the same discovery and enjoyment as she did in her school years.