A colorful stadium full of cheering fans waving flags

The Big Game Numbers

Maple Stadium and Ridge Stadium both claim the bigger crowd. Only the numbers can settle it!

4th Grade Math

Step 1: Read the Number

45,362

Maple Stadium counted 45,362 fans. Let's analyze this number one chunk at a time. The comma splits the thousands chunk from the rest. Which number name matches?

Read the chunk before the comma first: forty-five thousand. Then read 362: three hundred sixty-two.

Step 2: Expanded Form

45,362 = ?

Expanded form stretches a number out to show the value of every digit. The 4 is in the ten-thousands place, so it is worth 40,000. Which sum shows 45,362 in expanded form?

Each digit keeps its place value: 40,000 + 5,000 + 300 + 60 + 2 = 45,362. The digits alone are not enough!

Let's Remember

Three Ways to Write One Number

          Numeral: 45,362

          Number name: forty-five thousand, three hundred sixty-two

          Expanded form: 40,000 + 5,000 + 300 + 60 + 2

Every number has the same structure: each digit holds one place, and each place has a value.

Step 3: Compare the Crowds

45,300

45,400

45,500

45,600

45,700

Ridge Stadium counted 45,632 fans. Maple counted 45,362. On this line, 45,362 lands between 45,300 and 45,400, while 45,632 lands farther right. To determine the winner, which symbol makes this true?

45,362 ? 45,632

Compare left to right. Ten-thousands match, thousands match. Hundreds: 3 < 6, so 45,362 < 45,632. Ridge wins!

Watch Out!

A Sneaky Mistake

          Is 9,876 greater than 10,234? No!

          The big 9 tricks many students.

          9,876 < 10,234 because 5 digits beat 4 digits.

The digit count is your first piece of evidence. Count digits first. If they match, compare places from the left.

Write It as a Numeral

A wildlife park sold six hundred two thousand, forty tickets this year. Which numeral shows that number?

Six hundred two thousand is 602,000. Forty is 40. Zeros hold the empty places: 602,040.

Solve It!

700,000 + 3,000 + 50 + 8 = ?

There are 0 ten-thousands and 0 hundreds, so zeros hold those places: 703,058.

Pick the Symbol

89,540 ? 91,205

Both numbers have 5 digits, so compare the places from the left.

Ten-thousands place: 8 < 9. Stop there! 89,540 < 91,205.

Word Problem

The city library holds 128,406 books. The museum library holds 128,604 books. Which statement is true?

The first three places match. Hundreds: 4 < 6, so 128,406 < 128,604. The museum has more books.

What Goes in the Blank?

72,486 < ?

Choose the number that makes the comparison true.

In 72,846 the hundreds digit is 8, and 8 > 4. So 72,486 < 72,846. The other choices are smaller.

Challenge!

Three towns reported their populations: 405,962, 450,296, and 450,269. Evaluate every place carefully. Which population is the greatest?

Ten-thousands: 5 > 0, so both 450,000s beat 405,962. Then check tens: 9 > 6, so 450,296 is greatest.

Where do you see big numbers in real life? How would you compare two of them place by place?

Great Work!

0/9

correct

analyze evaluate structure evidence determine