Year 4 · Place Value · Summary

Year 4 Place Value: summary and key words

Part of the Year 4 place value chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

Chapter summary

Skill	Method
Counting in steps	Add (or take away) the same number each time. For 9: +10 then −1. For 25: 25, 50, 75, 00. For 1000: change the thousands digit.
Place value	Th, H, T, O. Value = digit × column value. Zero is a place holder. 4,306 = 4,000 + 300 + 6.
1000 more or less	Change the thousands digit by 1. Watch for carrying (9) and exchanging (0).
Comparing and ordering	Compare from the left. The first column that is different decides. < less than, > greater than.
Estimating on a number line	Work out what each small mark is worth, then count on. Halfway between 7,000 and 8,000 is 7,500.
Rounding	Look at the digit to the right. 5 or more: round up. 4 or less: round down. Halfway rounds up.
Negative numbers	Left of zero on a number line. The further left, the smaller. Split jumps that cross zero.
Roman numerals	I = 1, V = 5, X = 10, L = 50, C = 100. Tens first, then ones. A small symbol before a bigger one is taken away.
Zero and place value	Our system has a zero and place value, so a digit’s value depends on its column. Roman numerals have neither.

I can count on and back in 6s, 7s, 9s, 25s and 1000s.
I can say the value of every digit in a four-digit number and write numbers in words.
I can find 10, 100 or 1000 more or less than a number.
I can compare and order numbers beyond 1000 and use < and >.
I can estimate numbers on a number line.
I can round to the nearest 10, 100 or 1000.
I can count backwards through zero and compare negative numbers.
I can read and write Roman numerals up to 100.
I can explain why zero and place value are important.

Multiple: A number you say when you count in steps of that number from 0. The multiples of 6 are 6, 12, 18…
Digit: One of the symbols 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
Place value: The value of a digit depends on its column: ones, tens, hundreds or thousands.
Place holder: A zero that holds an empty column so the other digits stay in the right place, as in 4,065.
Partition: To split a number into the value of each digit: 4,306 = 4,000 + 300 + 6.
Ascending: Getting bigger: smallest first.
Descending: Getting smaller: biggest first.
Round: To change a number to a nearby, simpler number, such as to the nearest 10, 100 or 1000.
Estimate: A sensible guess that is close to the exact answer.
Negative number: A number less than zero, written with a minus sign, like −5.
Roman numerals: Letters used for numbers by the Romans: I, V, X, L, C.
Numeral: A symbol that stands for a number.