Place values are used to order whole numbers.

Example

Which of the following four sportspeople earns more in a week?

• Player A - £310,500
• Player B - £309,500
• Player C - £295,500
• Player D - £315,500

First, put each sportsperson’s salary into a place value table.

Hundred thousandsTen thousandsThousandsHundredsTensUnits Player A 3 1 0 5 0 0 Player B 3 0 9 5 0 0 Player C 2 9 5 5 0 0 Player D 3 1 5 5 0 0

Next, look at each column in turn from the left:

• …