Monday, November 12, 2012

talking place value...

Consider this scenario, you are shopping in a supermarket and have a long list of items. You want to do a quick check of the approximate value... This is where your place value comes in real handy.how?
Let the cost of items be like,
rs.1034
rs 973
rs.450
rs.228
rs.1005
rs.824
rs.2000
the best and perhaps the easiest ways to add is by splitting them according to their place values.

thousands - 1000+1000+2000 = 4000
hundreds - 900+400+200+800 = 2300
tens - 70+50+20+20 = 160

total it up = 6460 (approximately)

the actual value being = 6514

The importance of place value is very much underplayed in to-days schools. Practical examples, used to explain the addition based on place value will help better understanding.
we are taught a mechanical way of addition which obscures the basic principle. Memorizing addition values of the single digit numbers and applying them with carry overs helps us only so much as doing a sum correctly. Of-course this is necessary, but try and do your checking by using place value. I am sure you will enjoy the process.

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