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100 LearnersLast updated on December 15, 2025

In the number 47, the digit 4 is in the tens place, meaning it represents forty. The digit 7 is in the ones place, representing seven. Changing the position of these digits changes the value of the number significantly.
Numbers follow a fixed positional structure. The digit on the far right is in the ones place, representing single units. Moving left, the next digit is in the tens place. In the number 47, the 4 is in the tens place, representing values in the range of tens, and the 7 is in the ones place.
A digit’s value depends entirely on its position in a number. The digit itself does not change, but the place it occupies can greatly increase or decrease its value within the whole number.
For example, 7 in the ones place is 7, but in the tens place, it’s 70.
In the standard number system, place value is determined starting from the rightmost digit.
The sequence begins with ones, followed by tens, hundreds, and so on. Each move to the left increases the value of the place by ten times the place before it.
In 47: The digit 7 is in the ones place – value: 7 × 1 = 7
The digit 4 is in the tens place – value: 4 × 10 = 40
Write the number so that all digits are clearly visible. Begin counting positions from the rightmost digit, naming them in order: ones, tens, hundreds, and so on. Identify the specific digit whose place value is required.
Determine the value of that place according to its position in the sequence. Multiply the digit by the place value to find its exact worth.
State the complete value, for example: “4 in the tens place = 40.”


Have you ever tried remembering something by sticking a post-it to your forehead? Place value sticks the same way, as in, it works when you anchor it in your senses and real life.
Let’s load your math toolbox with ideas you can actually use: Draw a place value chart by writing the headings “Ones, Tens, Hundreds, Thousands” across the top. Drop numbers in like puzzle pieces.
Break numbers into parts — For example, 47 becomes 40 + 7, which makes it easier to see. It’s going to be less overwhelming that way.
Spot them in real life — Find the tens place in street numbers, odometers, or price tags. Point out the tens spot.
Say it aloud – For instance, “The 4 in 47 is forty.” Speaking it helps it stick.
Turn it into a game – Pull random digits from a jar and arrange them into numbers, just to hunt for the tens place.
Even the most careful learners can commit common mistakes when working with numbers. A tiny slip, such as misreading a digit or miscounting a place, can completely change the value of the number like forty-seven. Let’s look at the mistakes that happen most often, and how to sidestep them with ease.
Whatโs the place value of 3 in 37?
It’s in the tens place → 3 × 10 = 30.
In 37, the 3 is in the tens place, which is the leftmost digit. That position carries significant weight — each digit here is worth ten. So this isn’t just a three, it’s enough to make thirty all on its own.
Find the place value of 8 in 84.
Digit 8 sits in the tens place → 8 × 10 = 80.
If you read the number carefully, the 8 is sitting in the tens spot. That means it’s worth eight lots of ten, which is eighty in total. Same little digit, but the place it sits changes its value completely.
In 29, whatโs the place value of 2?
That’s the tens spot → 2 × 10 = 20.
Here, the 2 is parked in the second position from the right. That’s the tens place, so it stands for two groups of ten — giving us a total of twenty.
Whatโs the place value of 5 in 56?
Tens place → 5 × 10 = 50.
This time, the 5 sits right at the start of the number. Being in that tens position means it’s worth fifty, not just five. One position makes all the difference.
In 73, whatโs the place value of 7?
Tens place → 7 × 10 = 70.
In this number, the 7 is the first digit from the left. Its spot is the tens position, so it represents seventy in total. That’s the power of where a digit is placed.

Hiralee Lalitkumar Makwana has almost two years of teaching experience. She is a number ninja as she loves numbers. Her interest in numbers can be seen in the way she cracks math puzzles and hidden patterns.
: She loves to read number jokes and games.






