2nd grade place value
2nd grade place value (class 2): a quiz for kids, then every skill in order with lessons, a checklist and a plan.
🧒 Kids: answer 10 grade 2 place value questions. Tap Check ✓ after each one!
🔢 Place value practice 🏆 Place value levels 🧮 Place value calculator
What 2nd grader learn about place value
In grade 2, children learn that three-digit numbers are hundreds, tens and ones. They read and write numbers to 1,000 in digits, words and expanded form, compare them, and add or take away 10 or 100 in their heads.
- 2.NBT.A.1: understand that the three digits of a three-digit number are hundreds, tens and ones, and that 100 is 10 tens.
- 2.NBT.A.2: count within 1,000 and skip-count by 5s, 10s and 100s.
- 2.NBT.A.3: read and write numbers to 1,000 using numerals, number names and expanded form.
- 2.NBT.A.4: compare two three-digit numbers with >, = and <.
- 2.NBT.B.8: mentally add or take away 10 or 100.
The big idea in grade 2
Grade 2 adds a third place. Ten tens make a hundred, so 352 is 3 hundreds, 5 tens and 2 ones (2.NBT.A.1).
Children read and write numbers to 1,000 in digits, words and expanded form (2.NBT.A.3), and compare them with <, > and = (2.NBT.A.4).
The hardest part is zero. A child who writes three hundred five as 35 or as 300 followed by 5 needs more practice with a three-column chart.
When your child gets stuck
Most grade 2 trouble is with zeros. Ask your child to draw three boxes for hundreds, tens and ones before writing any three-digit number.
If comparing goes wrong, the child is probably looking at the last digit. Remind them to start from the hundreds, the biggest place, and work right.
2nd grade place value skills, in order
Work down the list. Each lesson explains the idea for parents with pictures and has a quiz for your child.
By the end of grade 2, your child should be able to…
- Show 352 with blocks as 3 hundreds, 5 tens and 2 ones.
- Write 3 hundreds, 0 tens and 5 ones as 305.
- Write 618 in expanded form: 600 + 10 + 8.
- Read and write four hundred seven.
- Find 100 more and 10 less than 482 without counting.
- Compare 409 and 490 with < or >.
Unsure where your child is? The place value levels page has a short test for every step from tens and ones to lakhs and crores.
A 4-week plan for 2nd grade place value
| When | Focus |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Hundreds, tens and ones with blocks, and 10 tens make 100 |
| Week 2 | Zeros as placeholders, and the value of each digit |
| Week 3 | Expanded form and number names |
| Week 4 | Comparing numbers and 10 or 100 more or less |
Add 5 minutes a day with the place value practice tool, and type any number into the place value calculator to see its chart.
More for grade 2
All 2nd grade math · CBSE class 3: House of Hundreds I · 2nd grade addition · Place value quiz for grades 1 to 5 · Place value for kids
What to say to your child
A short script for teaching it the first time. Pause after each line and let your child do the next step.
- “How many tens make a hundred?” (10.)
- “What does the 3 in 352 mean?” (3 hundreds.)
- “Write 3 hundreds, 0 tens, 5 ones.” (305.)
- “What is 100 more than 352?” (452.)
- “Which is bigger, 409 or 490?” (490.)
More worked examples
Example 1: expanded form
736 = 700 + 30 + 6.
Example 2: a zero
Five hundred eight is 508: no tens, so a 0 in the tens place.
Example 3: 100 more
100 more than 275 is 375.
Practice questions (answers below)
Ask these out loud or write them down. Check each answer, and ask “how did you get that?” for one or two.
- 4 hundreds, 2 tens, 9 ones
- Write 803 in expanded form.
- Value of 7 in 274
- 100 less than 650
- 10 more than 395
- Write six hundred twelve in digits.
- Bigger: 581 or 518?
- How many tens in 340?
- 300 + 9
- Stretch: 2 hundreds and 15 tens
Show the answers
- 429
- 800 + 3
- 70
- 550
- 405
- 612
- 581
- 34
- 309
- 350
Common mistakes
How to teach it at home
Five minutes a day
Short daily practice beats long weekend sessions.
Build it
Say a number and have your child build it with coins, sticks or blocks.
Read real numbers
House numbers, prices, page numbers and car number plates are all place value practice.
By grade
- Before: 1st grade place value
- After: rounding to 10 and 100 in grade 3, then 4th grade place value
Not sure where to start?
The free 2nd grade math check-up tests every grade 2 topic in 15–20 minutes. It shows which topics are solid and which lesson to start with.
Worksheets and practice
Hundreds, tens and ones worksheet: printable PDF with an answer key.
Last reviewed
Questions parents ask
What place value should a 2nd grader know?
Hundreds, tens and ones, numbers to 1,000 in digits, words and expanded form, comparing three-digit numbers, and adding or taking away 10 or 100 in their heads.
Why does my 2nd grader add an extra zero to 305?
They are writing what they hear: three hundred, then five. Drawing three boxes for hundreds, tens and ones and filling each one fixes it quickly.
Is there a 2nd grade place value quiz?
Yes. The quiz at the top of this page has 10 mixed grade 2 questions. Each one is marked straight away, and a wrong answer shows the working. Play again for a fresh set, or try the place value quiz for grades 1 to 5.
What place value is taught in class 2 in India?
The NCERT books build place value from class 1 to class 5: numbers to 100, then hundreds in class 3, thousands in class 4, and lakhs by class 5. This page lists the skills in order, starting with hundreds, tens and ones, value of a digit.
How much place value practice does a 2nd grader need?
About 10 minutes a day: 5 minutes on the current skill with the practice tool and 5 minutes of mixed review. Short daily practice works better than long weekly sessions.