Explore the structure
The decimal point stays still. The digits change place.
Each step left is 10× the value
4.27× 1042.7
Place value chartThe digits of 42.7 are positioned in the tens, ones and tenths columns.
Thousands1,000
Hundreds100
Tens10
Ones1
Tenths0.1
Hundredths0.01
Thousandths0.001
1 place left
Every digit is now worth 10 times as much.
Power of ten10¹one factor of 10