CAMBRIDGE

Primary Mathematics
Learner’s Book 6
Mary Wood, Emma Low,
Greg Byrd & Lynn Byrd

Second edition Digital access

 1 The number
system
Getting started
1 What is the value of the digit 9 in these numbers?
a 809.46 b 2021.89 c 123 456.95
2 Write these numbers in words and digits.
a 200 000 + 5000 + 400 + 8 + 0.9
b 500 000 + 70 000 + 30 + 6 + 0.01
3 a What number is ten times bigger than 0.01?
b What number is one hundred times smaller than 555?
4 What is the missing number?
100 × 10 = 10 000 ÷
5 Round these lengths to the nearest whole number.
a 6.2 m b 36.5 cm c 12.3 m d 10.6 cm
6 A number with 1 decimal place is rounded to the nearest
whole number.
a What is the smallest number that rounds to 100?
b What is the largest number that rounds to 10?

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 1 The number system

Numbers are important. We use them every day.

• We use a series of digits when we telephone a friend.
• We use decimal numbers when we work out prices.
• We use positive and negative numbers when we use a thermometer.
When do you use numbers? Make a list.
Here are some ideas to help you get started.

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 1 The number system

1.1 Place value

We are going to …
• explain the value of each digit in numbers with up to 3 decimal places
• multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals by 10, 100 and 1000
• compose, decompose and regroup numbers with up to 3 decimal places.

You already know how to read and write

decimal numbers with 1 or 2 decimal places. compose decimal point
decompose digit
You can compose, decompose and regroup
numbers, and you can multiply and divide hundredths place value
by 10, 100 and 1000. regroup tenths thousandths
The Western Pygmy Blue Butterfly is very
small. Some have a wingspan of only 0.375 inches,
which is between 9 and 10 millimetres.

In this unit, you will learn about numbers with 3 decimal places.

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 1.1 Place value

Worked example 1

Write this as a decimal number.

6 3 1
3+ + 10 + +
1000 100 10

1 3 6 Write the terms in order of size, starting with

10 + 3 + + +
10 100 1000
the one with the highest place value.
10 1 1 1 1 Put the digits in a place value grid.
10 100 1000

1 3 1 3 6

Answer: 13.136

Exercise 1.1
1 What is the value of the digit 7 in these numbers?
a 6703.46 b 213.807 c 456.702 d 60.078
2 Sonia has these five cards.

2 4 6 0

What is the smallest number, greater than 1, she can make

using all her cards?
3 Find the odd one out.
1.234 1234 thousandths 12.34
123.4 hundredths 123 hundredths and 4 thousandths
Explain your answer.

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 1 The number system

4 Add these numbers together and write the total number in

words and digits.
a 2 + 0.1 + 0.03 + 0.009 b –900 – 9 – 0.9 – 0.009
c 20 + 5 + 0.4 + 0.03 + 0.001 d –3 – 0.4 – 0.08 – 0.001
Swap books with your partner and check their answer.
Read the numbers to each other.
5 Copy and complete.
37.844 = 30 + 7 + + 0.04 +
6 Petra is regrouping decimal numbers.
She spills ink on her work.
What number is under each ink blot?
a 0.546 = 0.4 + + 0.006
b 0.789 = 0.7 + 0.07 +
7 Find the missing numbers.
a 7.2 × 1000 = b 0.85 × 100 = c 4.28 × 10 =
d 670 ÷ 100 = e 151 ÷ 1000 = f 5.5 ÷ 10 =
Check your answers with your partner.
8 Look at these number cards.
A B C D E F G

1200 1.2 12 000 0.12 120 12 120 000

Write the letter of the card that is:

a one thousand times bigger than 12
b one hundredth of 12
c one thousandth of 120 000
9 Mira divides a number by 10, then by 10 again and then by 10 again.
Her answer is 0.005
What number did she start with?

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 1.1 Place value

Did you find any question particularly hard? Why?

If you are asked to do similar questions, what would
you do differently?

Think like a mathematician

There are 10 trees in the Numberland Woods.

Each tree has 10 branches. Each branch has 10 twigs.

Each twig has 10 flowers. Each flower has 10 petals.
Sofia went into the woods.
She took 1 petal, 1 flower, 1 twig and 1 branch.
How many petals are left in the woods?

Look what I can do!

I can explain the value of each digit in numbers with up to 3 decimal places.
I can multiply and divide whole numbers and decimals by 10, 100 and 1000.
I can compose, decompose and regroup numbers with up to 3 decimal places.

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 1 The number system

1.2 Rounding decimal numbers

We are going to …
• round a number with 2 decimal places to the nearest whole number
• round a number with 2 decimal places to the nearest tenth.

Rounding makes it easier to describe and understand

numbers. It is easier to understand that Usain Bolt
ran 100 metres in less than 10 seconds than he
ran 100 metres in 9.63 seconds.

nearest
round

Worked example 2

Round these numbers to the nearest tenth.

a 8.80 b 6.45 c 3.95

a 8.8 b 6.5 c 4.0 If the hundredths digit is 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4, round

down by keeping the tenths digit the same.
If the hundredths digit is 5, 6, 7, 8 or 9, round up
by increasing the value of the tenths digit by 1.
There must always be 1 decimal place in the
answer, even if it is zero.

Exercise 1.2
1 Round these decimals to the nearest whole number.
4.09 7.89 2.55 7.45
2 Leo bought a book costing $14.65.
What is the cost of the book to the nearest dollar?

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 1.2 Rounding decimal numbers

3 Which of these numbers rounds to 5 when rounded to the

nearest whole number?
4.35 4.05 4.5 5.05 4.55 5.35 5.5 5.53
Check your answers to questions 1 to 3 with your partner.
4 Round these numbers to the nearest tenth.
4.52 7.81 2.35 9.07
5 Which of these numbers rounds to 7.5 when rounded to
the nearest tenth?
7.35 7.05 7. 51 7.55 7.49 7.56 7.53
Check your answers to questions 4 and 5 with your partner.
6 Correct all the statements that are false.
A 3.04 is 3 when rounded to the nearest whole number
and the nearest tenth.
B 5.03 is 5 when rounded to the nearest whole number
and 5.0 when rounded to the nearest tenth.
C 6.95 is 7 when rounded to the nearest whole number
and 6.9 when rounded to the nearest tenth.
Discuss your answers with your partner.
Make sure you explain the reasons you have given.
7 Round these measures to the nearest tenth.
55.55 litres 12.22 metres 35.45 kilograms
8 Choose the smallest number from this list that rounds to 1.
0.55 0.99 1.9 1.45 0.5 1.05 0
9 Jasper says, ‘7.97 is 8 when rounded to the nearest whole
number and is also 8 when rounded to the nearest tenth.’
Is Jasper correct?
Explain your answer.

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 1 The number system

Look back over your answers.

Did you use the worked example to guide you?
Did you find any question particularly hard? Why?

Think like a mathematician

The sides of a rectangle are measured in

centimetres to 2 decimal places using a
micrometer (an instrument for measuring
length accurately).
The measurements are rounded to the nearest
whole number. They are 5 cm and 6 cm.
What is the smallest possible perimeter of
the rectangle?
What is the largest possible perimeter of
the rectangle?
Investigate the smallest and largest perimeters for other rectangles
if the measurements have been rounded to the nearest centimetre.

Tip

Think about the smallest number with 2 decimal places that

rounds to 5 cm, then think about the largest number with
2 decimal places that rounds to 5 cm. Do the same for 6 cm.

Look what I can do!

I can round a number with 2 decimal places to the nearest whole number.
I can round a number with 2 decimal places to the nearest tenth.

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 1.2 Rounding decimal numbers

Check your progress

1 Copy and complete.
87.655 = 80 + 7 + + +

2 What decimal number is represented by

3 1 4
90 + 7 + + +
10 100 1000
3 How many times bigger is the value of the digit 6 in 64.53 than the
value of the digit 6 in 0.367?
4 a What is 3.08 rounded to the nearest tenth?
b What is 9.55 rounded to the nearest whole number?
5 Find the missing numbers.
a × 0.9 = 9 b 705 ÷ = 7.05

c × 0.16 = 160 d 34 ÷ 1000 =

6 The announcer said, ‘Ingrid won the 100 metre race in 13.9 seconds.’

Her time was originally measured to 2 decimal places.

What was the slowest time she could have run?

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