The Interior — MathGrades K–2

Unit 3 · Place Value to 1,000

A unit of the course: the story, then chapter by chapter — sections, numbered lessons, a source or the numbers to read, three checks each — a review per chapter, and the wrap-up at the end.

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Drawn scene: a lemonade stand at the end of a driveway under a shady tree, with stacks of paper cups in tens and a big glass jar of buttons on the table
3Unit

Place Value to 1,000

Number

How many buttons fit in a jar? How many cups of lemonade can you sell in a weekend? Big numbers are everywhere. This unit shows you how big numbers are built. Every number up to 1,000 is made of hundreds, tens and ones.

You will read and write numbers to 1,000. You will compare them with >, < and =. You will count by 5s, 10s and 100s. Then you will add and subtract big numbers by trading tens and ones. And you will explain why your way works.

How we figured it out
Step 1

Count buttons one by one and lose your place

Step 2

Make groups of ten so counting goes faster

Step 3

Ten groups of ten make one hundred

Step 4

Ten hundreds fill the jar: one thousand

Step 5

Write a number as hundreds, tens and ones

Step 6

Compare two numbers with >, < and =

Step 7

Skip count by 5s, 10s and 100s

Step 8

Add cups sold: tens with tens, ones with ones

Step 9

Trade ten ones for a ten when there are too many

Step 10

Trade a ten for ten ones so you can subtract

Step 11

Add and subtract hundreds with drawings

Step 12

Explain your strategy and check it another way

Chapter

Hundreds, Tens and Ones

Place Value
Big questionHow can three little digits stand for a number as big as 1,000?
The story

The Button Jar

A big jar of buttons sits on a shelf. Nobody knows how many are inside.

Mrs. Diaz keeps a big glass jar on the shelf. It is full of buttons. Red ones, blue ones, tiny white ones. One day she asks the class a question. How many buttons are in the jar? Everyone guesses. Ten! A hundred! A million!

Two friends, Kai and Rosa, pour the buttons out. Kai starts to count. One, two, three. At forty-two, someone sneezes. Kai loses his place. He has to start again. Rosa has an idea. Let's make groups of ten, she says.

They make piles of ten buttons. Ten piles of ten make one hundred. They put each hundred in a paper cup. Soon the table is covered with cups. They stop and count the cups. Ten cups. That is ten hundreds. Ten hundreds make one thousand!

Mrs. Diaz smiles. You did not count 1,000 buttons one by one, she says. You counted hundreds, tens and ones. That is how big numbers work. Every big number is just groups. Groups of one hundred, groups of ten and some left over.

Talk about itWhy did making groups of ten help Kai and Rosa count faster than counting one by one?
Section 1

Building Big Numbers

5.1

Hundreds, Tens and Ones

Main ideaA three-digit number is made of hundreds, tens and ones.

Think of base-ten blocks. A little cube is one. A rod of ten cubes is a . A flat square of ten rods is a . A hundred has 100 little cubes in it.

Look at 347. The 3 is in the hundreds place. It means 3 hundreds, or 300. The 4 is in the tens place. It means 4 tens, or 40. The 7 is in the ones place. It means 7 ones.

The place tells you the value. A 3 in the hundreds place is 300. A 3 in the ones place is just 3. Same digit, different job. Always ask: which place is it in?

Words to know
hundred
a group of ten tens, or 100 ones
ten
a group of ten ones
place
the spot a digit sits in, which tells its value
Check yourself

1. In 582, what does the 5 stand for?

2. How many tens make one hundred?

3. Which number has 4 hundreds, 0 tens and 9 ones?

5.2

Expanded Form

Main ideaExpanded form breaks a number into hundreds plus tens plus ones.

You can stretch a number out. This is called . Take 347. It has 3 hundreds, 4 tens and 7 ones. So 347 = 300 + 40 + 7.

Try 615. The 6 means 600. The 1 means 10. The 5 means 5. Write it as 600 + 10 + 5. Add it back up. 600 + 10 = 610. Then 610 + 5 = 615. It matches.

Watch out for zeros. In 508, the 0 means 0 tens. So 508 = 500 + 8. Some students write 500 + 0 + 8. That is fine too. Just do not write 58!

Words to know
expanded form
a number written as hundreds plus tens plus ones, like 300 + 40 + 7
Check yourself

1. What is 729 in expanded form?

2. What number is 400 + 50 + 1?

3. What is 306 in expanded form?

5.3

Reading and Writing Numbers

Main ideaSay the hundreds, then the tens and ones, to read a number up to 1,000.

To read 347, say the hundreds first. Three hundred. Then say the rest like a two-digit number. Forty-seven. Three hundred forty-seven. Do not say ’and’ in the middle.

Now write a number from words. Five hundred twelve. Five hundred is 500. Twelve is 12. Put them together: 512. Be careful with ’twelve’. It is one ten and two ones.

One is written 1,000. It is ten hundreds. The comma helps your eye. Nine hundred ninety-nine is 999. One more makes 1,000.

Words to know
digit
one of the symbols 0 to 9 used to write numbers
thousand
ten hundreds, written 1,000
Check yourself

1. How do you write six hundred forty-two?

2. How do you say 803?

3. What number comes right after 999?

Section 2

Comparing Numbers

5.4

Which Number Is Bigger?

Main ideaCompare the hundreds first, then the tens, then the ones.

Kai has 348 buttons. Rosa has 352. Who has more? Let’s . Look at the hundreds first. Both have 3 hundreds. It is a tie. Move to the tens.

Kai has 4 tens. Rosa has 5 tens. 5 tens is more than 4 tens. So 352 is bigger than 348. You do not even need the ones. The tens settled it.

A common mistake is to look at the ones first. 348 has an 8. 352 has a 2. But 8 ones is only 8. One ten is worth 10. Bigger places win. Start on the left.

Words to know
compare
to look at two numbers and tell which is bigger, smaller or the same
Check yourself

1. Which is bigger, 476 or 481?

2. Which is smaller, 209 or 190?

3. To compare 635 and 638, which place do you need to check last?

5.5

The Signs >, < and =

Main ideaUse > for greater than, < for less than and = for equal to.

Three signs help you compare. The sign > means . The sign < means . The sign = means . The open side of > or < always faces the bigger number.

Compare 352 and 348. 352 is greater. Write 352 > 348. Now flip it. 348 is less than 352. Write 348 < 352. Both say the same thing.

What about 500 and 500? They are the same. Write 500 = 500. Think of the sign as a hungry mouth. It opens to eat the bigger number.

Words to know
greater than
bigger than; the sign is >
less than
smaller than; the sign is <
equal to
the same amount; the sign is =
Check yourself

1. Which sign goes in 415 ? 451?

2. What does 890 > 809 mean?

3. Which is true?

Section 3

Counting and Patterns

5.6

Counting by 5s, 10s and 100s

Main ideaSkip counting adds the same amount each time: 5, 10 or 100.

To means to count by jumps. Count by 5s: 5, 10, 15, 20, 25. Count by 10s: 10, 20, 30, 40, 50. Count by 100s: 100, 200, 300, 400, 500.

You can start anywhere. Start at 340 and count by 10s. 340, 350, 360, 370. Only the tens digit changes. Start at 340 and count by 100s. 340, 440, 540. Only the hundreds digit changes.

Skip counting is fast. Rosa has 6 cups of 100 buttons. She counts 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600. Six jumps of 100 is 600. Much faster than counting one by one.

Words to know
skip count
to count by jumps of the same size, like 5, 10, 15, 20
Check yourself

1. Count by 5s: 35, 40, 45, ___. What comes next?

2. Count by 10s from 570: 570, 580, ___. What comes next?

3. Count by 100s: 250, 350, 450, ___. What comes next?

5.7

100 More and 100 Less

Main ideaAdding or taking away 100 changes only the hundreds digit.

What is 100 than 462? Add one hundred. The hundreds digit goes from 4 to 5. The tens and ones stay the same. 462 + 100 = 562.

What is 100 than 462? Take one hundred away. The hundreds digit goes from 4 to 3. 462 − 100 = 362. The 6 and the 2 do not move.

The same trick works for 10. 10 more than 462 is 472. 10 less than 462 is 452. Only the tens digit changes. Be careful near 9 tens: 10 more than 495 is 505.

Words to know
more
a bigger amount; 100 more means add 100
less
a smaller amount; 100 less means take away 100
Check yourself

1. What is 100 more than 738?

2. What is 100 less than 520?

3. What is 10 more than 293?

5.8

Even and Odd Numbers

Main ideaEven numbers make pairs with none left over; odd numbers have one left over.

Put 8 buttons in pairs. You get 4 pairs. None are left over. So 8 is . Put 7 buttons in pairs. You get 3 pairs and 1 left over. So 7 is .

Here is a fast check. Look at the ones digit only. If it is 0, 2, 4, 6 or 8, the number is even. If it is 1, 3, 5, 7 or 9, the number is odd. So 346 is even. 231 is odd.

Even numbers are doubles. 8 is 4 + 4. 10 is 5 + 5. 12 is 6 + 6. Odd numbers cannot split into two equal groups. Try to split 9 in half. You get 4 and 5, not a match.

Words to know
even
a number that makes pairs with none left over, like 2, 4, 6
odd
a number that leaves one out when you make pairs, like 1, 3, 5
Check yourself

1. Which number is even?

2. Which number is odd?

3. Which number is a double, like 6 = 3 + 3?

Chapter review

Hundreds, Tens and Ones

0 / 6

1. What number is 5 hundreds, 7 tens and 3 ones?

2. What is 840 in expanded form?

3. Which sign goes in 596 ? 603?

4. Count by 5s: 90, 95, 100, ___. What comes next?

5. What is 100 less than 907?

6. Which number is odd?

Chapter

Adding and Subtracting Bigger Numbers

Operations
Big questionHow do hundreds, tens and ones help us add and subtract big numbers?
The story

The Lemonade Stand

Two days of sales, two cards with numbers and one big question: how many cups in all?

It is a hot weekend in July. Kai and Rosa set up a lemonade stand on the corner. A cup costs 50 cents. Saturday is busy. Cars stop. Neighbors walk over. By dinner they have sold 48 cups. Rosa writes 48 on a card.

Sunday is a little slower. Clouds roll in after lunch. Still, they sell 36 cups. Rosa writes 36 on a second card. Kai looks at the two cards. How many cups did we sell in all? he asks. Rosa starts to count on her fingers. That will take forever.

Then Rosa remembers the button jar. Tens and ones! she says. 48 is 4 tens and 8 ones. 36 is 3 tens and 6 ones. Add the tens: 7 tens. Add the ones: 14 ones. But 14 ones is a ten and 4 more. So that is 8 tens and 4 ones. Eighty-four cups!

Kai checks it another way. 48 plus 30 is 78. Then 78 plus 6 is 84. Same answer. They high-five. Then Kai asks a harder question. We had 100 cups at the start. How many are left? That is a subtraction problem. And it is next.

Talk about itRosa and Kai got 84 two different ways. Why is it smart to check an answer with a second way?
Section 1

Adding Within 100

6.1

Tens With Tens, Ones With Ones

Main ideaTo add two-digit numbers, add the tens together and the ones together.

Let’s 32 + 45. Break each number apart. 32 is 3 tens and 2 ones. 45 is 4 tens and 5 ones. Add the tens: 3 tens + 4 tens = 7 tens. Add the ones: 2 + 5 = 7. So 32 + 45 = 77.

Picture the rods and cubes. Put 3 rods next to 4 rods. That is 7 rods. Put 2 cubes next to 5 cubes. That is 7 cubes. 7 rods and 7 cubes show 77. The is 77.

A common mistake is to add a ten to a one. In 32 + 45, do not add 3 + 5. The 3 is tens and the 5 is ones. Tens go with tens. Ones go with ones.

Words to know
add
to put amounts together and find the total
sum
the answer you get when you add
Check yourself

1. What is 23 + 54?

2. What is 41 + 36?

3. In 62 + 15, which two digits are both tens?

6.2

Trading Ten Ones for a Ten

Main ideaWhen the ones add up to 10 or more, trade ten ones for one ten.

Add 48 + 36. Ones first: 8 + 6 = 14. That is too many ones. 14 ones is 1 ten and 4 ones. Trade ten of them for a rod. When you trade like this, you .

Now count the tens. 4 tens + 3 tens = 7 tens. Add the new ten from the trade. 7 + 1 = 8 tens. So 48 + 36 is 8 tens and 4 ones. That is 84.

The big mistake is to forget the traded ten. Then you get 74 instead of 84. Always ask: did my ones make a ten? If yes, add it to the tens.

Words to know
regroup
to trade ten ones for one ten, or one ten for ten ones
Check yourself

1. What is 57 + 28?

2. What is 39 + 44?

3. Kai adds 46 + 27 and gets 63. What did he forget?

6.3

Adding Three or Four Numbers

Main ideaAdd several numbers by finding friendly pairs and keeping tens and ones straight.

Add 12 + 25 + 18. Look for a that makes a ten. 12 + 18 = 30. That is easy. Then 30 + 25 = 55. So 12 + 25 + 18 = 55.

Try four numbers: 21 + 14 + 19 + 26. Pair 21 + 19 = 40. Pair 14 + 26 = 40. Then 40 + 40 = 80. Check it: the ones are 1 + 4 + 9 + 6 = 20. The tens are 2 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 6 tens. 60 + 20 = 80.

You can add in any order. The sum stays the same. Pick the order that makes tens. If nothing pairs up, add the tens, then add the ones, then trade.

Words to know
friendly pair
two numbers that are easy to add, like 12 + 18 = 30
Check yourself

1. What is 13 + 27 + 20?

2. Which pair is a friendly pair that makes tens?

3. What is 11 + 22 + 33 + 14?

Section 2

Subtracting Within 100

6.4

Subtracting Tens and Ones

Main ideaTo subtract, take tens from tens and ones from ones.

Let’s 68 − 25. Take the tens first. 6 tens − 2 tens = 4 tens. Now the ones. 8 − 5 = 3. So 68 − 25 = 43. The is 43. Check by adding: 43 + 25 = 68.

Picture 6 rods and 8 cubes. Take away 2 rods. Take away 5 cubes. You have 4 rods and 3 cubes left. That is 43.

A number line helps too. Start at 68. Jump back 20 to 48. Jump back 5 to 43. Big jump for the tens, small jump for the ones.

Words to know
subtract
to take away part of an amount and find what is left
difference
the answer you get when you subtract
Check yourself

1. What is 79 − 34?

2. What is 96 − 50?

3. Which addition checks 58 − 23 = 35?

6.5

Trading a Ten for Ten Ones

Main ideaWhen there are not enough ones to subtract, break one ten into ten ones.

Subtract 52 − 17. Look at the ones. 2 − 7 does not work. There are not enough ones. So one ten for ten ones. Now you have 4 tens and 12 ones.

Now subtract. 12 − 7 = 5. Then 4 tens − 1 ten = 3 tens. So 52 − 17 = 35. Check: 35 + 17 = 52. Yes.

The common mistake is to flip the ones. Some students do 7 − 2 = 5 and 5 − 1 = 4 and get 45. That is wrong. You cannot flip. Trade a ten instead.

Words to know
trade
to swap one ten for ten ones so you can subtract
Check yourself

1. What is 63 − 28?

2. What is 80 − 46?

3. In 71 − 25, why do you trade a ten?

Section 3

Bigger Numbers and Mental Math

6.6

Adding and Subtracting to 1,000

Main ideaWith hundreds, add or subtract hundreds, tens and ones each in their own place.

Add 235 + 142. Draw it. Squares for hundreds, lines for tens, dots for ones. 2 squares + 1 square = 3 hundreds. 3 lines + 4 lines = 7 tens. 5 dots + 2 dots = 7 ones. So 377.

Subtract 468 − 253. Hundreds: 4 − 2 = 2. Tens: 6 − 5 = 1. Ones: 8 − 3 = 5. So 468 − 253 = 215. Check: 215 + 253 = 468.

Sometimes you trade into the . Add 356 + 271. Tens: 5 + 7 = 12 tens. Ten tens make a hundred! Trade. 3 + 2 + 1 = 6 hundreds. 2 tens. 7 ones. So 627.

Words to know
hundreds place
the third spot from the right in a number; it counts groups of 100
Check yourself

1. What is 412 + 356?

2. What is 589 − 264?

3. What is 340 + 280?

6.7

Mental Math with 10s and 100s

Main ideaYou can add or subtract 10 or 100 in your head by changing one digit.

Rosa sold 48 cups. Then 10 more. She uses . She adds a ten in her head. 48 + 10 = 58. Then 10 more: 68. Only the tens digit changes. No paper needed.

Do the same with hundreds. 325 + 100 = 425. 325 − 100 = 225. Only the hundreds digit moves. Try 640 − 200. Two hundreds down: 540, 440. So 640 − 200 = 440.

Break bigger jumps into tens. 57 + 30 is three tens more. 67, 77, 87. So 57 + 30 = 87. And 92 − 40 is four tens back. 82, 72, 62, 52. So 92 − 40 = 52.

Words to know
mental math
doing math in your head without writing it down
Check yourself

1. What is 76 + 20?

2. What is 483 − 100?

3. What is 250 + 300?

6.8

Why the Strategy Works

Main ideaA good strategy works because it keeps the tens and ones in their places.

Kai adds 48 + 36 by jumping. 48 + 30 = 78. Then 78 + 6 = 84. Why does this work? Because 36 is just 30 and 6. Adding 30 and then 6 is the same as adding 36.

Rosa uses a different way. She makes 48 into 50. She takes 2 from 36 to do it. 50 + 34 = 84. Same answer! Moving 2 from one number to the other does not change the total.

When you a strategy, say what you did to the tens and ones. Say why the total did not change. Then check with a different way. If both ways match, you can trust the answer.

Words to know
strategy
a plan or way to solve a problem
explain
to tell how you did something and why it works
Check yourself

1. Rosa solves 57 + 25 as 60 + 22. Why does this work?

2. Kai adds 64 + 23 by jumping the tens first. What is his first jump?

3. Kai gets 84 one way and 74 another way. What should he do?

Chapter review

Adding and Subtracting Bigger Numbers

0 / 6

1. What is 34 + 52?

2. What is 47 + 38?

3. What is 85 − 42?

4. What is 70 − 26?

5. What is 516 + 100?

6. What is 15 + 25 + 32?

Unit wrap-up

Place Value to 1,000

Twelve words, twelve meanings

0 / 8

Tap a word, then tap its meaning. A right pair locks in green.

Words
Meanings
Unit test

Fifteen questions across the unit

0 / 10

1. What number is 6 hundreds, 0 tens and 4 ones?

2. What is 275 in expanded form?

3. Which sign goes in 348 ? 384?

4. Count by 10s: 460, 470, 480, ___. What comes next?

5. Which number is even?

6. What is 100 more than 655?

7. What is 26 + 47?

8. What is 91 − 35?

9. What is 623 + 245?

10. What is 18 + 32 + 24?

Spiral review

Five questions from earlier units

0 / 5

1. (Unit 2) What is 9 − 5?

2. (Unit 1) Which has fewer: 6 cats or 8 dogs?

3. (Unit 2) What is 3 + 4?

4. (Unit 1) Start at 15. Count on 2 more. What number do you say last?

5. (Unit 2) Which sentence is true?

Write it

Solve 53 − 27. Show each step with tens and ones. Explain why you traded a ten. Then check your answer by adding.

  • Write the answer first: 53 − 27 = 26.
  • Show the trade: 4 tens and 13 ones.
  • Say why: 3 ones is not enough to take away 7.
  • Check it: 26 + 27 should give 53.
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Practice rooms

Rooms already on the site that belong to this unit — cards, quizzes, a lab.

For the teacher

Every lesson keeps its own three checks; a lesson is ticked when all three are right. Chapter reviews, the unit test and its spiral review (five questions from earlier units in this band) score on the page. When the site is connected to your sheet, or the link carries ?dest=, each one also has a Send box: the first-try score, the standards, the supports used, the attempt number and the minutes go to your sheet as an IEP data point.

Print this page for a paper copy of the readings, the sources, the words and the questions; the answers print as dashed boxes under each question.

Fact-check notes for this course live in the handoff: quotes marked (paraphrased) were set that way on purpose.