Place Value

We continue to have fun with place value! Lately we have focused on comparing numbers. It is important to understand place value when you are figuring out which number is greater. Room 221 mathematicians know that numbers with more digits are larger numbers. They also know that to compare numbers with the same amount of digits you must compare each digit starting with the one of greater value. For example, to compare 2,871 and 2,832 you must first look at the thousands place. Both digits have a value of 2,000. So next we go to the hundreds place. Both digits have a value of 800. So finally, we go to the tens place. One digit has a value of 70 and the other has a value of 30. Therefore 2,871 is greater than 2,832.

We played a great game at Morning Meeting that you can play at home. It's called "Pico, Ferme, Nada." One player thinks of a three digit number (although you can play with as many digits as you'd like). The other player(s) try to guess what the number is. The player who chooses the number tells the guessers if they are right using the words pico, ferme, nada.

Pico means that the digit is in the number and it's in the right place.
Ferme means that the digit is in the number, but it's in a different place (therefore having a different value).
Nada means that the digit is not in the number at all.

For example, the person thinking of the number comes up with 784. They don't tell the other players. The other players start guessing. Perhaps they guess 743.

7 is pico because it's in the right place.
4 is ferme because it's in the number, but in the wrong place.
3 is nada because it's not in the number at all.

The players then use their reasoning skills to make a new guess.

I know this sounds a little complicated, but the kids know how to play. Let them teach you! It's lots of fun. ;o)