Place Value of 72.731

Every number consists of digits in specific positions that determine its value. The number 72.731 has a unique place value breakdown that helps us understand how each digit contributes to the overall number.

Place Value Breakdown for 72.731

Whole Number Part

Tens	Ones
2 What is the place of 2 in 72.731	7 What is the place of 7 in 72.731

Decimal Part

Tenths	Hundredths	Thousandths
7 What is the place of 7 in 72.731	3 What is the place of 3 in 72.731	1 What is the place of 1 in 72.731

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

2 × 10⁰ + 7 × 10¹ + 7 × 10^-1 + 3 × 10^-2 + 1 × 10^-3

Real-World Applications

The number 72.731 could be used in various real-world scenarios:

Currency
$72.731

Measurement
72.731 meters

Scientific Data
72.731 units

Academic Scores
72.731 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