Discover what happens to the right of the decimal point — tenths, hundredths and thousandths!
You've worked your way from ones all the way to billions. But numbers don't stop at the decimal point — they keep going! In this lesson you will learn about tenths, hundredths and thousandths: the places that live to the right of the decimal point. These show up in money, measurements and science every single day.
You already know that each place to the left is 10 times bigger. The same pattern works going right — but in reverse. Each place to the right is 10 times smaller.
Think of a pizza cut into equal slices:
The decimal point is the anchor. Everything to its left is a whole number. Everything to its right is a fraction of 1.
Decimal place names end in -ths: tenths, hundredths, thousandths. This is how you can tell a decimal place from a whole-number place at a glance. There is no "oneths" — the ones place sits right next to the decimal point on the left.
Here is the number 6.358 in the full table:
| Tens | Ones | · | Tenths | Hundredths | Thousandths |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | 6 | . | 3 | 5 | 8 |
The 6 → ones → worth 6
The 3 → tenths → worth 0.3
The 5 → hundredths → worth 0.05
The 8 → thousandths → worth 0.008
So 6.358 = 6 + 0.3 + 0.05 + 0.008
There are two correct ways to say a decimal:
In everyday maths lessons, "six point three five eight" is perfectly fine. The formal way is used in more advanced work and on standardised tests.
| Digit | Place Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ones | 2 |
| 4 | Tenths | 0.4 |
| 7 | Hundredths | 0.07 |
2.47 = 2 + 0.4 + 0.07 ✅
| Digit | Place Name | Value |
|---|---|---|
| 0 | Ones | 0 |
| 3 | Tenths | 0.3 |
| 0 | Hundredths | 0 (placeholder) |
| 6 | Thousandths | 0.006 |
0.306 = 0.3 + 0.006 ✅ (skip the zero hundredths in expanded form)
The golden rule is the same as always: compare left to right, one place at a time. But there is one extra trap with decimals — more digits does not mean bigger!
Is 0.6 greater than 0.58? Yes! Compare tenths first: 6 tenths > 5 tenths. So 0.6 > 0.58, even though 0.58 has more digits.
A helpful trick: add trailing zeros to make both numbers the same length. 0.6 = 0.60, and 0.60 > 0.58. ✅
1. The decimal point is the anchor — never move it.
2. Each place to the right is ÷ 10: tenths (÷10), hundredths (÷100), thousandths (÷1000).
3. When comparing decimals, line up the decimal points and compare digit by digit from left to right. Add trailing zeros if it helps.
Mistake 1 — "More digits = bigger number." With decimals this is false. 0.9 > 0.85 even though 0.85 has more digits. Always compare by place, not by length.
Mistake 2 — Saying "oneths." There is no oneths place. The column immediately left of the decimal is ones. Decimal places start at tenths.
Mistake 3 — Dropping the zero placeholder in decimals. 0.306 is NOT 0.36. The zero hundredths must stay to keep the 6 in the thousandths position. Removing it changes the entire number.
Q1. In the number 3.074, what is the value of the digit 7?
A) 0.7 B) 0.07 C) 0.007
Answer: B — 0.07 (the 7 is in the hundredths place)Q2. Which is greater: 0.5 or 0.49?
A) 0.49 B) 0.5 C) They are equal
Answer: B — 0.5 (0.50 > 0.49; compare tenths first: 5 > 4)Q3. Write 5 + 0.2 + 0.008 as a decimal number.
A) 5.28 B) 5.208 C) 5.028
Answer: B — 5.208 (zero in the hundredths place keeps 8 in thousandths)You've covered ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, millions, billions AND decimals. Test your skills with our games and tools!