Use Place Value to Write Numbers in Figures and Words

261,305,090

How do we read a big number like this one?

It can be helpful to put the digits into a place value table.

See how the columns are separated into groups of 3?

We just read each group, one at a time, using the table headings to help.

So, this number would read as:

Two hundred and sixty-one million, three hundred and five thousand, and ninety.

Notice how the commas are used to separate the groups?

We can also use the table for the reverse process.

So, to write the number:

Fifty-one million, four hundred and eighty-seven thousand, six hundred and thirty-two

We can see there are three groups which we deal with separately.

So, the number is 51,487,632.

Ready to get started?  Let’s try these questions.