Big Numbers, No Problem!

Lesson Plan - Get It!

Audio:

How Big Numbers Work

Big numbers may look tricky, but they follow a simple pattern.

Numbers are grouped into parts called periods.

Each period has up to three digits. Each period also has a name.

Here are the first few periods.

• ones
• thousands
• millions
• billions

Commas help separate these periods so numbers are easier to read.

Look at this number.

92520000

That looks messy! Add commas to make it clearer.

92,520,000

Now the number is split into groups of three digits.

92 | 520 | 000

How to Read Big Numbers

Reading big numbers is like reading smaller numbers, just in steps.

Step 1: Start at the left.

Step 2: Read the first group.

Step 3: Say the period name.

Step 4: Move to the next group.

Let’s try it.

92,520,000

• 92 — ninety-two million
• 520 — five hundred twenty thousand
• 000 — zero (you don’t need to say this part)

Put it all together.

Ninety-two million, five hundred twenty thousand

Comparing Big Numbers

Sometimes you need to know which number is bigger.

To compare numbers:

Look at how many digits each number has. More digits means a bigger number.

If they have the same number of digits, compare from left to right.

Example:

45,321 and 452,100

The second number has more digits, so it is larger.

Example:

67,000 and 68,000

Both have the same number of digits. Compare the left side:

68,000 is greater than 67,000.

You Can Do This!

Big numbers might look scary at first, but they follow simple rules. When you break them into parts, they become easy to read and compare.

Now it’s time to try reading and comparing big numbers on your own.