34 is 3 tens and 4 ones
There are 3 tens rods and 4 unit cubes.
3 tens means 30 and 4 ones means 4, so the number is 34.
Year 2
Recognise the place value of each digit in a two-digit number
Use tens and ones to explain what each digit means in a two-digit number.
Lesson overview
Number - number and place value
A two-digit number is made from tens and ones. The digit in the tens place tells us how many full tens there are. The digit in the ones place tells us how many ones are left. We can show this clearly with tens rods and unit cubes.
58 is 5 tens and 8 ones
The tens digit is 5 and the ones digit is 8.
5 tens is 50 and 8 ones is 8.
70 is 7 tens and 0 ones
Sometimes there are no ones left.
7 tens is 70, so the ones digit is 0.
Worked example
What does the number 46 mean?
- Look at the first digit. The 4 is in the tens place.
- 4 tens means 40.
- Look at the second digit. The 6 is in the ones place.
- 6 ones means 6.
- So 46 is 4 tens and 6 ones.
Try it
Read each two-digit number carefully and think about tens and ones.
Question 1
Question 2
Question 3
Question 4
Question 5
Common mistakes
Watch for these when you read a two-digit number.
- Reading the digits separately instead of thinking about tens and ones together.
- Saying that the 4 in 46 means 4, instead of 4 tens.
- Forgetting that 0 ones can still make a correct two-digit number, such as 70.
Related topics
These ideas fit closely with place value in two-digit numbers.
- Count in steps of 2, 3, and 5 from 0, and in tens from any number, forwards and backwards.
- Identify, represent and estimate numbers using different representations, including the number line.