Skill: Write whole numbers in standard form

Standard form writes a whole number as one numeral. Each digit goes in its place-value position:

$$\text{millions}\mid\text{thousands}\mid\text{ones}$$

Each group has three places:

$$\begin{array}{ccc|ccc|ccc} \text{hundred millions}&\text{ten millions}&\text{millions}& \text{hundred thousands}&\text{ten thousands}&\text{thousands}& \text{hundreds}&\text{tens}&\text{ones} \end{array}$$

Example: Write “six million, forty-two thousand, nine” in standard form.

1. Separate the words into periods:

   • Six million
   • Forty-two thousand
   • Nine

2. Place each part in its period:

   • Six million means $6$ in the millions place.

   • Forty-two thousand means $(42)$ in the thousands period.

   • Nine means $9$ in the ones place.

$$6\mid 042\mid 009$$

3. Use zeros as placeholders for missing places. The word “forty-two thousand” has no hundred-thousands digit, so that place is $0$. The word “nine” has no hundreds or tens, so those places are $0$.

4. Read the numeral from left to right:

$$\boxed{6,042,009}$$

The digit $4$ has a face value of $4$, but its place value is $(40{,}000)$ because it is in the ten-thousands place. The expanded form confirms the answer:

$$6,000,000+40,000+2,000+9=6,042,009$$