Cambridge Primary Checkpoint 0845 · Topic 1 of 10

Place value, rounding and negative numbers

Reading, comparing and ordering whole numbers and decimals, rounding them, and working with negative numbers.

📌 Key points

The value of a digit depends on its place: in 4 372 815, the 3 is worth 300 000.
Decimals carry on the place value pattern: after the decimal point come tenths, hundredths and thousandths.
Multiplying by 10, 100 or 1000 moves the digits 1, 2 or 3 places to the left; dividing moves them to the right.
To compare decimals, line up the decimal points and compare digit by digit from the left: 0.45 > 0.405.
To round, look at the digit just to the right of the place you are rounding to: 5 or more rounds up, 4 or less rounds down.
Negative numbers are less than zero. On a number line, numbers get smaller as you go left, so −8 < −3.
To find the difference between a negative and a positive number, count through zero: from −4 to 6 is 10.
Temperatures below freezing have a minus sign: −5 °C is colder than −2 °C.

Place value: The value a digit has because of its position in a number.
Digit: One of the ten symbols 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9.
Decimal point: The dot that separates the whole number part from the tenths, hundredths and so on.
Rounding: Changing a number to a simpler number close to it, e.g. 3487 to the nearest 100 is 3500.
Negative number: A number less than zero, such as −7.
Integer: A whole number. It can be positive, negative or zero.

Round 46 285 to the nearest thousand, and round 7.264 to one decimal place.

Nearest thousand: 46 285 is between 46 000 and 47 000. Look at the hundreds digit: it is 2.
2 is less than 5, so round down: 46 285 ≈ 46 000.
One decimal place: look at the hundredths digit of 7.264. It is 6.
6 is 5 or more, so the tenths digit goes up from 2 to 3: 7.264 ≈ 7.3.
Answer: 46 000 and 7.3.

💡 Test tip

When rounding, underline the digit in the place you need, then look only at the next digit to its right.

Test yourself8 questions from a bank of 22. A new mix every time.