Place Value of 12.402

Every number consists of digits in specific positions that determine its value. The number 12.402 has a unique place value breakdown that helps us understand how each digit contributes to the overall number.

Place Value Breakdown for 12.402

Whole Number Part

Tens	Ones
2 What is the place of 2 in 12.402	1 What is the place of 1 in 12.402

Decimal Part

Tenths	Hundredths	Thousandths
4 What is the place of 4 in 12.402	0 What is the place of 0 in 12.402	2 What is the place of 2 in 12.402

What Does This Mean?

In our base-10 number system, each position represents a different power of 10:

Digits to the left of the decimal point represent whole numbers (ones, tens, hundreds, etc.)
Digits to the right of the decimal point represent fractions (tenths, hundredths, thousandths, etc.)
Each position's value is 10 times greater than the position to its right

Expanded Form

When we write 12.402 in expanded form, we show exactly how each digit contributes to the total value:

2 × 10⁰ + 1 × 10¹ + 4 × 10^-1 + 2 × 10^-3

Real-World Applications

The number 12.402 could be used in various real-world scenarios:

Currency
$12.402

Measurement
12.402 meters

Scientific Data
12.402 units

Academic Scores
12.402 points

Teaching Tips

Understanding place value is fundamental to mathematics. Here are some tips for educators:

Use physical manipulatives like base-10 blocks to represent different place values
Practice reading large numbers by breaking them into groups of three digits
Compare numbers with the same digits in different orders to highlight place value
Connect place value to everyday contexts like money and measurement