DeepMaths / Fun Maths

Fun Maths Book 2 Online Learning Programme

For Year 4 and Year 5

Chapter 1: Place Value, Big Numbers, and Rounding

Place Value, Rounding and Negative Numbers

Read the value of each digit, round sensibly, and move correctly across zero.

Fun Maths Book 2 pages 3-94 minutes

AI teacher

Press Start to hear a short classroom-style explanation. If sound is unavailable, the full script is shown below.

Voice: Browser voice

Workbook pages

Fun Maths Book 2 pages 3-9

Read large numbers, use expanded form, round, and work with negative number lines.

AI explanation

The AI teacher builds numbers with place-value blocks, then shows how each digit changes value depending on its column. Rounding is taught as choosing the nearest friendly number, and negative numbers are shown as temperatures moving below zero.

  1. 1First, look at the column each digit is sitting in.
  2. 2Next, say the value of the digit, not just the digit name.
  3. 3For rounding, find the two nearest friendly numbers and choose the closest one.
  4. 4On a negative number line, moving right makes the number greater, even when both numbers are below zero.

Think with the AI teacher

Hi, I am your Fun Maths teacher today. We are going to build big numbers, round them, and explore what happens below zero.

Question 1

Pause 4s

In 48 306, which digit do you think is worth the most?

After thinking

The 4 is worth 40 000 because it is in the ten-thousands column.

Great noticing. The column gives the digit its value.

Question 2

Pause 5s

Before I round 36 482, what two friendly thousands is it between?

After thinking

It is between 36 000 and 37 000.

Well done. Rounding starts by finding the neighbours.

Question 3

Pause 4s

On a number line, is -3 or -8 greater? What do you notice?

After thinking

-3 is greater because it is further to the right.

Excellent thinking. Right means greater, even below zero.

Deep structure

What children discover

Children discover that a digit does not have one fixed value; its value changes when it moves to a different place-value column.

Common mistake

Children may say the digit name instead of the digit value, such as saying 7 instead of 70 000.

Future connection

Place value supports decimals, standard form, rounding errors and later algebra with large numbers.

DecimalsStandard formError intervalsAlgebra

Animated demonstration

See the maths move

Animated place-value columns fill with thousands, hundreds, tens and ones, then slide into a rounding number line with a temperature marker crossing zero.

Place-value columns make digit value visible, the rounding line shows nearest friendly numbers, and the temperature line shows negative numbers as movement across zero.

Ten thousands

4

Thousands

8

Hundreds

3

Tens

0

Ones

6
-2-1012Moving right means greater

Guided examples

Expanded form

Write 48 306 in expanded form.

  1. 1.4 is in the ten-thousands column, so it is 40 000.
  2. 2.8 is in the thousands column, so it is 8000.
  3. 3.3 is in the hundreds column, so it is 300.
  4. 4.6 is in the ones column, so it is 6.
Answer: 48 306 = 40 000 + 8000 + 300 + 6

Rounding

Round 36 482 to the nearest thousand.

  1. 1.36 482 is between 36 000 and 37 000.
  2. 2.The hundreds digit is 4.
  3. 3.4 means round down to the nearer thousand.
Answer: 36 000

Interactive practice

Try it now

Choose one big number from the workbook and say the value of every non-zero digit aloud before writing.

0/3 correct

What is the value of the 7 in 572 418?

Round 8 649 to the nearest hundred.

Which number is greater?

Review

Before workbook practice, explain why 5406 has 5 thousands but 54 060 has 5 ten-thousands.

Explain why 5406 and 54 060 both contain a 5, but the 5 has a different value.

Parent signal

Watch whether the child says digit names only. They should say digit values such as 70 000, not just 7.

You are building powerful number sense. Now try the workbook slowly and neatly.