Place Value Counters
Number · Year 2–Year 6
Drag counters between columns, exchange ten for one, read the total.
About the place value
Tap a column to add a counter and drag counters between columns. The total underneath changes as you go, so children can read the number while you build it.
Exchanging is where most place value misconceptions show up, so this tool makes it a deliberate step. When a column reaches ten, an Exchange button appears under it. Tap it and ten counters become one in the column to the left. Select a single counter and you can break it back into ten, which is the move children need for subtraction with regrouping.
Turn columns on and off to suit the year group. Hundreds, tens and ones for Year 2 and 3, up to hundred thousands by Year 5, and tenths and hundredths once you reach decimals.
Counters are laid out five to a row, so ten is always two full rows. Children can see that it is ten without counting, which is the whole basis of the exchange.
How to use it on your whiteboard
- 1Choose your columns. The chart starts with hundreds, tens and ones, and the plus and minus buttons add or remove columns.
- 2Tap a column to add a counter to it. The column heading works too, which is handy once the counters have stacked up to where you were tapping.
- 3Drag a counter sideways to move it into another column.
- 4When a column reaches ten, tap Exchange to swap ten for one in the next column along.
- 5Select one counter and tap Break into 10 to go the other way.
Questions
- Can I use it for decimals?
- Yes. Turn on tenths and hundredths and the total reads as a decimal.
- Can it show exchanging both ways?
- Yes. Exchange swaps ten for one, and Break into 10 does the reverse on a selected counter.
- Does it match Dienes or Base 10?
- Counters are the step after Dienes. Interactive Dienes and number shapes are next on our list, using the same drag and drop.