Tens and Ones: Definition, Examples and Place Value

Tens and ones are an important part of place value. Tens and ones help us understand how numbers are made. For example, 24 has 2 tens and 4 ones. This makes counting and writing numbers easier for young learners.

Table of Contents

Explore Orchids International Schools near you

What Are Tens and Ones?

Tens and ones are the two basic place values used to understand and represent two digit numbers. A number can be made of a single digit, two digits, or more than two digits. If a number is made of two digits, we group the number in Tens and Ones to make the counting/calculations easier.

Example: Tanmay wants to count all the books on the bookshelf. But it’s difficult for him to count all the books. If there are 94 books on the bookshelf, group them in tens and ones to help him count the books

Example image

Answer: 94 books can be grouped in tens and ones as follows:

Example image books

Now he can count the number of books as:

count the number of books

So, there are 90 books in 9 groups, adding remaining 4 individual books it will give:

90 books and 4 books = 94 books

Understanding Place Value

Ones Place

The ones place is the rightmost position in a number. It tells you how many single units there are.

In the number 27:

TENS ONES
2 7

ONES place = 7

(7 single units)

Tens Place

The tens place is the second position from the right. It tells you how many groups of ten there are. 

In the number 27:

TENS ONES
2 7

TENS place = 2

(2 groups of ten = 20)

How Place Value Works

TENS ONES
3 3

The position of a digit decides its value

Digit 3 in TENS place = 30

Digit 3 in ONES place = 3

SAME digit, DIFFERENT position = DIFFERENT value.

What Is Place Value

  • When we have more than 9 items, write them in two columns ‘Tens’ and ‘Ones’.
  • In the Tens column we write down how many "tens" we have, followed by the remaining items in the ones column.
TENS ONES
9 4
  • A ‘Ten’ indicates bundle or group of 10 individuals or singles.
  • 1 Object = 1 Ones
  • 10 Ones = 1 Ten
  • If there is a group of 10 Tens, we call it Hundreds.
  • 10 Tens = 1 Hundred
HUNDREDS TENS ONES
1 0 0

Place Value Order

Ones, Tens and Hundreds from right to left are written as follows.

Place Value Order

Place value of One-digit numbers

  • All One-digit numbers are smaller than 10. A single digit number cannot make a group of 10.

Place Value 2 Digit Numbers

  • The number 10 is the first and the smallest two-digit number.

How to Count Tens and Ones

Counting with Objects

Let's say you have 10 pencils. How do you count them using tens and ones?

Counting with Objects

Now make a group of 10 pencils.

group of 10 pencils
  • We can make only 1 group. It represents 1 Ten. But there is no single pencil remaining. It indicates 0 ones.
  • So, the number 10 can write as:
HUNDREDS TENS ONES
  1 0

Similarly, we can write representation of the all two-digits numbers.

Example

  • If we take 21 pencils, we can make 2 groups of 10 pencils that can be represented as 2 Tens.
  • 1 remaining pencil can be represented as 1 Ones.
21 pencils

2 Tens and 1 Ones = 21

  • We can write 21 as:
HUNDREDS TENS ONES
  2 1

What Is the Place Value of 100

We can represent 100 as 10 groups of pencils.

What Is the Place Value of 100

We cannot write 100 as:

cannot write 100

We use the hundreds place. The number 100 is written as:

HUNDREDS TENS ONES
1 0 0

100 is the first and smallest three-digit number.

Misconception:

Do not write the numbers at the place value table from the left. If we have to write the numbers 7, 12 and 70. Don’t write as:

Misconception:

The correct way is: Always write the numbers from right to left.

numbers from right to left.

Tens and Ones Chart

The Chart is given Below indian Place Value Chart

place value chart upto crore

Examples Using the Chart

Number: 45

TENS ONES
4 5

4 in TENS = 4 × 10 = 40

5 in ONES = 5 × 1 = 5

Total = 40 + 5 = 45

Number: 72

TENS ONES
7 2

7 in TENS = 7 × 10 = 70

2 in ONES = 2 × 1 = 2

Total = 70 + 2 = 72

Number: 30

TENS ONES
3 0

3 in TENS = 30

0 in ONES = 0

Total = 30

Representing Numbers Using Tens and Ones

Two-Digit Numbers

Every two-digit number has a tens digit and a ones digit.

Two-digit numbers go from 10 to 99.

10 = 1 ten, 0 ones

25 = 2 tens, 5 ones

48 = 4 tens, 8 ones

99 = 9 tens, 9 ones

Expanded Form

Expanded form breaks a number into its tens and ones values.

EXPANDED FORM = Tens value + Ones value

Examples:

36 = 30 + 6

(3 tens) + (6 ones)

54 = 50 + 4

(5 tens) + (4 ones)

81 = 80 + 1

(8 tens) + (1 one)

60 = 60 + 0

(6 tens) + (0 ones)

Base 10 Blocks Representation

Base-10 blocks use pictures to show tens and ones visually.

BASE 10 BLOCKS KEY:

base ten blocks

Showing the number 23:

showing the number 23

2 long blocks 3 small squares

= 20 = 3

Total = 20 + 3 = 23

Showing the number 45:

showing the number 45

4 long blocks 5 small squares

= 40 = 5

Total = 40 + 5 = 45

How to Identify Tens and Ones in a Number

Step by Step Method

Step 1: Look at the number.

Number: 68

Step 2: Find the ones digit (rightmost digit).

6 8

Ones digit = 8

Step 3: Find the tens digit (left of ones digit).

6 8

Tens digit = 6

Step 4: Write the place values.

6 in TENS place = 6 × 10 = 60

8 in ONES place = 8 × 1 = 8

Step 5: Write the expanded form.

68 = 60 + 8 

Real Life Examples of Tens and Ones

Counting Pencils

Situation: You have 32 pencils.

Arrange into groups: 

Group 1: ✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️ (10 pencils)

Group 2: ✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️✏️ (10 pencils)

Leftover: ✏️✏️✏️ (3 pencils)

3 TENS = 30 pencils

2 ONES = 2 pencils

3 TENS + 2 ONES = 32 pencils

Counting Apples

Situation: A basket has 47 apples.

Arranging apples:

Group 1:🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎(10 apples)

Group 2:🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎(10 apples)

Group 3:🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎(10 apples)

Group 4:🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎(10 apples)

Leftover:🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎🍎(7 apples)

4 groups of 10 = 4 TENS = 40

7 leftover = 7 ONES = 7

47 = 4 Tens + 7 Ones

Counting Toys

Situation: A toy box has 65 toys.

Arrange toys into bags of 10:

Bag 1: 🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸 (10 toys)

Bag 2: 🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸 (10 toys)

Bag 3: 🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸(10 toys)

Bag 4: 🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸 (10 toys)

Bag 5: 🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸 (10 toys)

Bag 6: 🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸 🧸🧸🧸🧸(10 toys)

Leftover:🧸🧸🧸🧸🧸(5 toys)

6 TENS + 5 ONES = 65 toys

Counting Coins

Situation: You have 28 coins.

Group into stacks of 10:

Stack 1: 🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙(10 coins)

Stack 2: 🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙 (10 coins)

Leftover:🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙🪙(8 coins)

2 TENS + 8 ONES = 28 coins

Solved Examples on Tens and Ones

Example 1: Write the tens and ones for 83.

Number: 83

TENS ONES
8 3

8 Tens = 80

3 Ones = 3

Expanded form: 83 = 80 + 3

Example 2: What number has 5 tens and 4 ones?

5 Tens = 50

4 Ones = 4

Number = 50 + 4 = 54

Example 3: Write in expanded form: 29

29 = 2 tens and 9 ones

= 20 + 9

Expanded form: 20 + 9

Example 4: How many tens and ones in 60?

TENS ONES
6 0

 6 TENS + 0 ONES

Example 5: Which digit is in the tens place in 75?

TENS ONES
7 5

7 is in TENS place

5 is in ONES place

Answer: 7 is in tens place

Word Problems On Tens and Ones

Problem 1: Riya has 3 boxes of 10 crayons each and 6 extra crayons. How many crayons does she have in total?

Box 1: 🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️(10 crayons)

Box 2: 🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️(10 crayons)

Box 3: 🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️(10 crayons)

Extra 4: 🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️🖍️(6 crayons)

3 boxes of 10 = 3 TENS = 30 crayons

6 extra = 6 ONES = 6 crayons

Total = 30 + 6 = 36 crayons

Number: 36 = 3 Tens + 6 Ones

Problem 2: A jar has 52 marbles. How many tens and ones are there?

TENS ONES
5 2

5 TENS = 50 marbles (in 5 groups of 10)

2 ONES = 2 marbles (leftover)

52 = 50 + 2 

Problem 3: What number has 7 tens and 0 ones?

TENS ONES
7 0

7 TENS = 70

0 ONES = 0

Number = 70 + 0 = 70

Problem 4: Aman collected 48 stamps. He arranged them in rows of 10. How many full rows did he make? How many stamps were left over?

48 stamps total

Full rows of 10:

Row 1: 🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃 (10 stamps)

Row 2: 🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃 (10 stamps)

Row 3: 🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃 (10 stamps)

Row 4: 🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃 (10 stamps)

Leftover: 🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃🖃 (8 stamps)

Full rows = 4 (= 4 TENS)

Leftover = 8 (= 8 ONES)

48 = 4 Tens + 8 Ones

Practice Questions on Tens and Ones

Fill in the Blanks

Q1: 25 = ___ Tens + ___ Ones

Q2: 4 Tens + 3 Ones = ___

Q3: 70 = ___ Tens + ___ Ones

Q4: 6 Tens + 8 Ones = ___

Q5: 31 = 30 + ___

Q6: 55 = ___ + 5

Q7: 9 Tens + 9 Ones = ___

Q8: 40 = ___ Tens

Answer 1: 2 Tens + 5 Ones 

Answer 2: 43

Answer 3: 7 Tens + 0 Ones

Answer 4: 68

Answer 5: 1

Answer 6: 50

Answer 7: 99

Answer 8: 4 Tens

Download PDF - Tens And Ones Worksheets pdf

Numbers make sense when they're taught right. To see how Orchids The International School turns Maths from intimidating to intuitive, reach out to our admissions team.

Frequently Asked Questions on Tens and Ones

1. What are tens and ones?

Tens and ones are place values used to represent numbers. A ten is equal to 10 ones, and the ones place represents single units.

2. What is place value in maths?

Place value is the value of a digit based on its position in a number. In a two-digit number, the left digit shows the tens, and the right digit shows the ones.

3. How many ones make one ten?

10 ones make 1 ten.

4. How do you identify tens and ones in a number?

Look at the digits:

  • The left digit shows the tens.
  • The right digit shows the ones.

Example: In 47, there are 4 tens and 7 ones.

5. How do you write a number using tens and ones?

Multiply the tens digit by 10 and add the ones digit.

Example: 3 tens and 5 ones = 35

6. How do you teach tens and ones to kids?

Use base-ten blocks, bundles of sticks, beads, number charts, and everyday objects to show that 10 ones make 1 ten.

7. What are some examples of tens and ones?

  • 24 = 2 tens and 4 ones
  • 58 = 5 tens and 8 ones
  • 90 = 9 tens and 0 ones
  • 13 = 1 ten and 3 ones

8. What is the difference between place value and face value?

  • Place value depends on the digit's position in the number.
  • Face value is the digit itself, regardless of its position.

9. How do you compare numbers using tens and ones?

First compare the tens digits. If they are the same, compare the ones digits. The number with the greater digit is larger.

10. What is a place value chart?

A place value chart organizes digits according to their positions, such as ones, tens, hundreds, and thousands, making numbers easier to read and understand.

ShareFacebookXLinkedInEmailTelegramPinterestWhatsApp

Admissions Open for 2026-27

Quick Poll

What type of concept pages would you prefer?

We are also listed in