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Place Value: Build Numbers to 1,000 with Digit the Robot

Place Value: Build Numbers to 1,000 with Digit the Robot

Learn place value with hundreds, tens and ones to 1,000. Turn ones into tens in a block machine, build numbers and hop 10 or 100 more or less.

  • Ages 7–9
  • About 20 min
  • Easy start
  • Numbers
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What you'll learn

  • What the hundreds, tens and ones digits in a three-digit number are worth
  • Why 10 ones make 1 ten and 10 tens make 1 hundred
  • That 10 hundreds make 1,000, the first four-digit number
  • How to partition a number, such as 243 = 200 + 40 + 3
  • Why zero is a placeholder in numbers like 305
  • How to find 10 or 100 more or less than a number

What's inside

  1. Ten ones
  2. Ten tens
  3. Build it
  4. Hop by 10s
  5. Challenge (6 questions)

About this adventure

Place Value Quest is a free interactive game that teaches children aged 7–9 about place value: what each digit is worth in numbers up to 1,000. Digit the robot guides every step with short spoken instructions, so children learn by doing rather than reading.

Players tap a crate to count ten cubes, then pull the lever on the Ten Machine to exchange them for one ten. Repeating the exchange shows that 10 tens make a hundred and 10 hundreds make 1,000. In the place value house they build numbers with base-ten (Dienes) blocks, find that the 4 in 243 is worth 40, and make 305, where zero is a placeholder.

On a number line, Bit the robot hops 10 or 100 more or less while the digits roll, showing why 390 + 10 = 400. A six-question challenge ends the game.

Questions and answers

What is place value, in simple words?

Place value means a digit's value depends on where it sits in a number. In 347, the 3 is worth 300 because it is in the hundreds place, the 4 is worth 40 and the 7 is worth 7.

Why does zero matter in a number like 305?

Zero is a placeholder: it shows there are no tens, so the 3 stays in the hundreds place. Without the zero, 305 would become 35, which is a much smaller number.

How do you find 10 more or 100 more than a number?

To find 10 more, add one to the tens digit; to find 100 more, add one to the hundreds digit. If the tens digit is already 9, ten tens make a new hundred, so 390 + 10 = 400.

What age is this place value game for?

It is designed for children aged 7 to 9 and matches the Year 3 maths curriculum for numbers up to 1,000. Younger children who know numbers to 100 can play with help, and older children can use it for revision.

What does the place value game include and how long does it take?

It has four guided stops, called Ten ones, Ten tens, Build it and Hop by 10s, followed by a six-question challenge. Playing everything takes about 20 minutes, and progress is saved so children can continue later.

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