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Maths · Number Sense

Reading numbers

Read and write numbers up to 10,000 in words and figures.

Not startedCAMBRIDGE · 3CBSE · IIIIB · PYP-3

Numbers in words and figures

We can write numbers using digits like 234 or words like two hundred and thirty-four. Both ways show the same amount. Learning both helps us read numbers everywhere—on signs, in books, and on price tags.

Place value helps us read big numbers

Every digit in a number has a place. In 5,273, the 5 means five thousand. The 2 means two hundred. The 7 means seventy. The 3 means three. We read it: five thousand, two hundred and seventy-three.

Using commas to make reading easier

We put a comma after the thousands to make big numbers easier to read. For example, 8,456 is clearer than 8456. The comma splits the thousands from the hundreds. It helps our eyes see the number in chunks.

Writing numbers in words

When we write numbers in words, we say the biggest place first. For 3,049, we write: three thousand and forty-nine. Notice we skip the hundreds because there are zero hundreds. We don't need to say zero.

Tips for reading tricky numbers

Some numbers have zeros in the middle, like 6,008. We say six thousand and eight. The zeros hold the place but we don't say them. Practice helps you spot which parts to say out loud.

Worked examples

  1. 1. Write 4,362 in words.

    1. Look at the thousands place: 4 thousands means four thousand.
    2. Look at the hundreds: 3 hundreds means three hundred.
    3. Look at the tens and ones: 62 means sixty-two.
    4. Put it together: four thousand, three hundred and sixty-two.

  2. 2. Write seven thousand and fifteen in figures.

    1. Seven thousand means 7 in the thousands place: 7,000.
    2. Fifteen means 1 ten and 5 ones: 15.
    3. There are no hundreds, so put a zero: 7,015.
    4. The answer is 7,015.

  3. 3. Write 9,200 in words.

    1. 9 thousands means nine thousand.
    2. 2 hundreds means two hundred.
    3. The tens and ones are both zero, so we stop.
    4. Answer: nine thousand, two hundred.

Try it yourself

Write 5,608 in words.

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Take a short topic test — every question maps to a syllabus point so you’ll see exactly which parts you’ve mastered.