Boba Maths

Year 6 · Arithmetic skills · Skill 14A

Skill 14A: Place value: finding the missing part

Partition whole numbers and decimals and find the missing part.

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Each file is an editable Word document (.docx) with 25 questions in five columns. It opens in Word, Google Docs, Pages and LibreOffice, so you can change questions or add working space before printing.

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Worked examples

Partitioning splits a number into the value of each digit. To find a missing part, find the digit in that column and say what it is worth.

Example 1

A whole number

83,462 = 80,000 + 3,000 + ____ + 60 + 2

  1. Write the number in a place value table to see which column each digit is in.
    Place value table
    TThThHTO
    83,46283462
  2. The parts we are given are 80,000 (ten thousands), 3,000 (thousands), 60 (tens) and 2 (ones). The hundreds are missing. The digit in the hundreds column is 4, which is worth 4 × 100 = 400.
  3. Check by adding all the parts: 80,000 + 3,000 + 400 + 60 + 2 = 83,462.

Answer: 400

Example 2

A decimal

7.256 = 7 + 0.2 + ____ + 0.006

  1. Put the decimal into a place value table. The digit under each heading shows how much that column is worth.
    Place value table
    Otenthshundredthsthousandths
    7.2567256
  2. The missing part is in the hundredths column. The digit is 5, which is worth 5 hundredths, or 5 × 0.01 = 0.05.
  3. Check: 7 + 0.2 + 0.05 + 0.006 = 7.256.

Answer: 0.05

Top tips

  • Put the number in a place value table.
  • The value of a digit is the digit times the value of its column.
  • Add all the parts together to check.

Watch out for

  • Writing the digit instead of its value (4 instead of 400).
  • Mixing up tenths and tens, or hundredths and hundreds.

Try some questions

These are from the worksheet. Work each one out, then open it to check.

  1. 56,726 = 50,000 + ____ + 700 + 20 + 6
    Show the answer

    6,000

  2. 38,526 = 30,000 + 8,000 + ____ + 20 + 6
    Show the answer

    500

  3. 7.315 = 7 + 0.3 + ____ + 0.005
    Show the answer

    0.01

  4. 95.704 = 90 + 5 + 0.7 + ____
    Show the answer

    0.004

All arithmetic skills

Arithmetic skills overview · Year 6 overview