Write the Value of the Underlined Digit Easily

When I visit classrooms, one question always makes students wrinkle their eyebrows:

“Miss, how do I write the value of the underlined digit?”

It sounds tricky, but it’s actually a fun math-story waiting to be told. Once you understand what each digit “means,” numbers stop being scary rows of symbols and start acting like characters each with a special role in the story of place value.

Let’s explore that story together.

Understanding What “Value” Really Means

Every number has digits the individual figures from 0 to 9.
Each digit’s place tells us its value.

Definition Explained

Place Value shows where a digit sits (ones, tens, hundreds, thousands).
Value tells how much that digit is worth in that place.

So, in 2085,

• the 2 is in the thousands place → it means 2,000
• the 0 is in the hundreds place → it means 0
• the 8 is in the tens place → it means 80
• the 5 is in the ones place → it means 5

If the 8 were underlined, the value of the underlined digit would be 80.
Easy, right?

Quick Classroom Story

One morning in Mrs. Dela Cruz’s Grade 3 class in Quezon City, the board showed 891.
She underlined the 8 and asked, “What is the value of the underlined digit?”

A few students shouted, “Eight!”
But Maria whispered, “No, it’s eight hundred!”

Mrs. Dela Cruz smiled. Maria was right because the 8 sat in the hundreds place.
The class learned that the same digit can have different values depending on where it stands.

That little “aha!” moment is exactly what helps children connect reading and math thinking spotting clues, noticing order, and making meaning.

How to Write the Value of the Underlined Digit

Here’s a simple step-by-step guide you can practice at home or in class.

Step 1: Look at the Number

Example: 35 77657

Step 2: Find the Underlined Digit

Let’s say the underlined digit is the first 7 (from the left).

Step 3: Identify Its Place Value

Write the chart below on blue-red-blue lined paper just like students use for handwriting:

That underlined 7 is in the ten-thousands place.

Step 4: Write Its Value

Ten-thousands = 70 000
So the value of the underlined digit is 70 000.

Step 5: Say It Aloud

Encourage kids to read numbers out loud:

“Seven ten-thousands make seventy thousand.”

Saying it builds confidence and memory.

Practice Makes Perfect

Here’s a mini practice list. Write each answer on your lined notebook.

Pro Tip for Teachers:
Use colored markers red for hundreds, blue for tens, green for ones. Visual cues help learners “see” the pattern.

Why Learning Place Value Matters

According to UNESCO’s 2024 Education Report, students who master place value early perform better in multi-digit addition and subtraction later.
Understanding how to write the value of a digit lays the foundation for:

• regrouping in subtraction
• carrying over in addition
• understanding decimals
• reading large numbers confidently

It’s like learning the alphabet before writing stories numbers have their own alphabet too!

Common Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Mistake 1: Confusing Digit with Value

Children often answer “8” instead of “800.”
➡ Fix: Ask “Eight what?” ones, tens, or hundreds?

Mistake 2: Skipping the Zero

Example: 3025, underlined 3.
Some kids write “3,” but the real value is 3000.

Mistake 3: Not Writing Neatly

Numbers can look confusing when written unevenly.
➡ Fix: Practice on blue-red-blue lined paper just like handwriting drills.
Each line reminds young learners where digits “sit,” making place values clear.

A Simple Story to Remember

Think of a family living in a seven-story building.
Each floor has a name: Ones Floor, Tens Floor, Hundreds Floor, and so on.

If the 8 lives on the Hundreds Floor, its value is 800.
If it moves down to the Tens Floor, it becomes 80.
Same person, different address same digit, different value!

Stories like these help children visualize math ideas rather than just memorize them.

Connecting Math and Language Learning

Emma Johnson loves showing that reading and math share the same habit looking for clues.
When children spot an underlined digit, they’re using comprehension skills: identifying, matching, and explaining.

Parents can reinforce both skills by asking:

• “What’s the value?” (critical thinking)
• “How did you know?” (reasoning)

This turns every homework moment into a small storytelling session instead of a quiz.

Home Activity for Parents and Kids

Materials Needed:

• Blue-red-blue lined paper
• A pencil and eraser
• Color pencils

Activity:

1. Write five 4-digit numbers.
2. Underline one digit in each.
3. Ask your child to say and write its value.
4. Color-code digits by place value (green = ones, yellow = tens, blue = hundreds, pink = thousands).

Learning becomes playful, and handwriting improves too!

For Teachers: Fun Classroom Challenges

• Place-Value Race: Divide students into groups. Write a big number on the board; the fastest group to name the underlined value wins.
• Digit Detective: Hide underlined digits in flashcards. Let students “detect” and explain the value aloud.
• Story Numbers: Ask learners to create a short story using a number (“There were 3 000 chickens in the farm…”) so they connect numbers with real life.

Real-Life Examples Make It Stick

• In a price tag: ₱3 285 the 2 means two hundreds = ₱200
• In a phone number: 0928-*** the 9 is nine hundred million in sequence reading
• In a date: 2025 the 2 means two thousand

When students relate numbers to daily objects money, phones, birthdays they remember them longer.

Before and After Understanding Place Value

Small changes in understanding bring big confidence boosts.

Quick Review Checklist

Before submitting your math worksheet:

☑ Did you check which digit is underlined?
☑ Did you find its place value (using ones, tens, hundreds…)?
☑ Did you write the full value (adding zeros if needed)?
☑ Is your writing clear on lined paper?
☑ Did you double-check with a friend or teacher?

If you can tick all boxes, great job you truly understand how to write the value of the underlined digit!

FAQ

1. How do you write the value of the underlined digit?
Find the place of that digit (ones, tens, hundreds, etc.) and write how much it represents.
Example: In 2085, if 8 is underlined, its value is 80.

2. What is the value of 8 in 891?
The 8 is in the hundreds place, so its value is 800.

3. What is the value of the underlined digit in 2085?
If 8 is underlined, the value is 80 (tens place).

4. What is the difference between place value and value itself?
Place value is the position (tens, hundreds …), while value is the actual amount (20, 200 …).

5. Why use blue-red-blue lined paper?
It keeps digits straight and clear just like letters when you practice writing. Neat writing helps avoid mistakes in math.

Final Encouragement

Every number tells a story, and each digit plays a role.
Once you learn to write the value of the underlined digit, math feels like reading a journey full of meaning.

So grab your blue-red-blue lined paper, sharpen your pencil, and start exploring the little stories hiding inside every number.

Learning never stops, and neither do your numbers. Keep practicing your digits will thank you!