Expanded Form of Whole Numbers

Introduction:

Whole numbers, or natural numbers, are the building blocks of our number system. Expanded form is a way of writing whole numbers as a sum of their individual digits.

Main Explanation**:

To write a whole number in expanded form, start by writing the number in standard form. Then, break down each digit into its place value and write it multiplied by the appropriate power of 10. For example, to write 521 in expanded form:

- The first digit, 5, represents 5 hundreds, so we write 5 x 100 = 500.

- The second digit, 2, represents 2 tens, so we write 2 x 10 = 20.

- The third digit, 1, represents 1 one, so we write 1 x 1 = 1.

Combining these terms, we get the expanded form: 500 + 20 + 1 = 521.

Expanded form shows the value of each digit in the number. For example, in 521, the 5 clearly represents 500, while the 1 represents only 1. This can be helpful when comparing numbers, adding, or subtracting large numbers.

Conclusion:

Expanded form is a useful way to understand the structure of whole numbers. By writing numbers in expanded form, we can see the value of each digit and compare numbers more easily. It also helps in understanding number patterns.