Writing numbers in words
Writing Numbers in Words teaches Grade 4 students in Saxon Math Intermediate 4 to read and write four-, five-, and six-digit numbers by treating the comma as the word thousand. To write 34,567, read the part before the comma (34) as thirty-four, say thousand at the comma, then read 567 as five hundred sixty-seven — giving thirty-four thousand, five hundred sixty-seven. Students also practice the reverse: converting word form into digits, where placeholder zeros are essential. For example, fifty thousand, twenty-one must be written as 50,021, not 50,21, because the hundreds place requires a zero.
Key Concepts
Property To read a whole number with four, five, or six digits, you first read the number to the left of the comma, say 'thousand' at the comma, and then read the number that comes after the comma. When writing it out, always remember to place a comma after the word 'thousand' for perfect grammar.
Example Use words to write $34,567$: 'thirty four thousand, five hundred sixty seven'. Use words to write $642,198$: 'six hundred forty two thousand, one hundred ninety eight'. Use digits to write 'fifty two thousand, one hundred five': $52,105$.
Explanation Think of the comma as a magic word! When you see it, just shout 'thousand!' and then read the next part. This trick breaks down giant numbers into bite sized, easy to read chunks. So, $23,456$ isn't scary; it's just 'twenty three THOUSAND, four hundred fifty six.' It’s like a secret code for big numbers that makes you sound super smart.
Common Questions
How do you write 34,567 in words?
Read the digits before the comma (34) as thirty-four, say thousand at the comma, then read 567 as five hundred sixty-seven. The answer is thirty-four thousand, five hundred sixty-seven.
How do you write 206,415 in words?
Two hundred six thousand, four hundred fifteen. The part before the comma is 206 (two hundred six) and after is 415 (four hundred fifteen).
When converting words to digits, why are placeholder zeros important?
If the word form says fifty thousand, twenty-one, the hundreds place has no value and needs a zero: 50,021. Without the zero, you get 5,021, which is wrong.
Should you say the word and when writing numbers in words?
No. In standard form, and is reserved for decimal points. Fifty thousand, one hundred six is correct; fifty thousand, one hundred and six is not.
What does the comma in a number represent when reading aloud?
The comma marks where you say the word thousand. Everything to the left of the comma belongs to the thousands group.