What Are Standard and Expanded Form?

Welcome to 4th grade math!

Math is all about numbers. There are a few different ways we can write numbers.

One way is using digits like this:

1,283

2,658,741

      When we write numbers using digits, that's called standard form.

      A comma goes after every third digit from the right. 

Another way to write numbers is using word form.

128,364 in word form is:

One hundred twenty-eight thousand three hundred sixty-four

We can also write numbers in expanded form.

What Is Expanded Form?

This is the place value table for 128,364:

Each digit has a different value.

The digits on the left (👈) are worth more.

You can write 128,364 as the sum of the value of each digit:

128,364 = 100,000 + 20,000 + 8,000 + 300 + 60 + 4

The value of the number is still the same. We just expanded it.

This long way of writing a number is called the expanded form.

Turning Expanded Form Into Standard Form

Let's learn with an example.

What's 9,000,000 + 700,000 + 4,000 + 100 + 50 + 8 in standard form?

We can put these into a place value table. 👇

Tip: No value was given for the Ten Thousands place, so we write "0" there.

Our sum, written in standard form, is 9,704,158. ✅

Tip: Don't forget to put commas after every 3 digits, starting from the Ones digit.

Great job learning about standard and expanded form of numbers! 🎉

Now, try the practice.