Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. May not be reproduced or posted to a publicly accessible website.
2
Objectives
After studying this unit, you will be able to:
▪ Identify the place value of whole numbers.
▪
Round whole numbers to a given place value.
▪ Recognize denominate numbers.
Carpenters
and other workers in the building construction trades must develop
a mastery of mathematics principles, operations, and formulas. Every aspect of the
construction industry requires an understanding and accurate use of mathematical
concepts. As a carpenter, you will need to be skilled in tasks such as reading a tape
measure, estimating materials, and calculating rafter line length, just to name a few.
Calculators can be an effi cient tool when performing math operations, but they are
not always available, or practical, on a construction site. Because of this, it is essential
that carpenters learn basic math principles and develop the ability to solve operations
without the use of a calculator.
Place Values
The decimal number system, also known as the Arabic number system, uses 10 as
its base unit. This system consists of 10 different digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
Digits are symbols that are used to create everyday numbers.
Numerical values are expressed by placing a combination of digits together
to create a whole number. A whole number is a numeral that stands alone as a
unit and can contain multiple digits. Whole numbers do not include a fraction or a
decimal. In the decimal number system, the value of the digit is determined by its
location in the whole number. This value is called the place value. The chart below
shows the place value of each digit within the number 5,694.
, 5 6 9 4
Hundred Thousands
Ten Thousands
Thousands
Hundreds
TensOnes
Goodheart-Willcox Publisher
UNIT
1
Basic Principles
of Whole Numbers