2 Dealing with large numbers

It is important to be able to carry out calculations with numbers of any size. Large numbers can be written in different ways e.g.

Here is another example:

It is often easier to deal with very large numbers when they are written as decimals.

Notice how the decimal is placed after the whole millions or billions.

Hint: A billion is a thousand million.

Using a place value grid can help you to read large numbers as it groups the digits for you, making the whole number easier to read.

Notice how the numbers above are written in this place value grid.

Sometimes when dealing with large numbers it is sensible to round them, for example, the Office for National Statistics gives the number of people unemployed in the UK in February 2019 as 1.36 million. The number of people unemployed will not be exactly 1 360 000 but, by rounding the exact value and writing it as 1.36 million, it is easier to understand.