How to Understand Place Value: Standard, Word & Expanded Form
Place value is the idea that a digit's worth depends on where it sits in a number. A 3 in the ones place is just 3, but a 3 in the hundreds place is worth 300. Each place to the left is worth ten times the one before it.
The place-value places
Reading from the right, each digit sits in a named place:
- Ones (1)
- Tens (10)
- Hundreds (100)
- Thousands (1,000)
- Ten thousands (10,000), and so on.
Worked example: the number 3,407
Line each digit up with its place to see what it's worth:
4 is in the hundreds place → worth 400
0 is in the tens place → worth 0
7 is in the ones place → worth 7
Three ways to write the same number
Once you know the value of each digit, you can write 3,407 in three forms:
Word form: three thousand, four hundred seven
Expanded form: 3,000 + 400 + 7
Notice the 0 in the tens place is a placeholder. We don't say or write a tens part, but the 0 keeps the other digits in their correct places — without it, 3,407 would collapse into 347.
Why place value matters
Place value is the foundation for almost every other method: box-method multiplication splits numbers by place, regrouping carries and borrows between places, and rounding depends on knowing which place you're looking at.
Frequently asked questions
What is place value?
It's the value a digit has because of its position. Each place to the left is worth ten times the place to its right.
What does the zero do in a number like 3,407?
It's a placeholder. It holds the tens place open so the other digits keep their correct values.
Where can I practice?
Type any number into the free Place Value Calculator to see word form, expanded form, and a digit-by-digit breakdown.