4th Grade · Number & Operations in Base Ten
4.NBT.A.2: Read, write, and compare numbers up to a million
4.NBT.A.2 is a 4th grade Common Core math standard in Number & Operations in Base Ten. Here’s what it really covers, and how you can help your students learn it.
By Robert “Bobby” BarnettMath teacher, parent, and founder of Bobby’s Math Club
The standard
Read and write multi-digit whole numbers using base-ten numerals, number names, and expanded form. Compare two multi-digit numbers based on meanings of the digits in each place, using >, =, and < symbols to record the results of comparisons.
In plain words
Read, write, and compare numbers up to a million.
Sample questions from student practice
These questions from Bobby's Math Club are the kinds of questions your students will see. You can try answering them to see what a student might see.
Question 1 of 6
Which number has 6,000 in its expanded form?
- 26,418
- 62,418
- 28,164
Where students can get stuck
Read and write numbers up to a million.
- Writing "forty thousand six" as 4,006 or 400,006, unsure how many zeros fill the empty places.
- Leaving out a place in expanded form, writing 30,405 as 30,000 + 4 + 5 instead of 30,000 + 400 + 5.
- Reading 245,318 as "two hundred forty-five, three hundred eighteen," leaving out the word thousand.
Compare numbers up to a million.
- Judging by the first digit alone, so 9,850 seems greater than 12,400 even though it has fewer digits.
- Comparing from the right instead of the left, deciding 45,719 is greater than 46,108 because 9 is bigger than 8.
- Calling two numbers equal because they use the same digits, such as 52,301 and 52,310.
Effective teaching strategies
- Have students write numbers from words in a place-value chart, such as forty thousand six as 40,006, and put a zero in every place the name skips.
- Ask students to line up two numbers by place and compare from the left, so 9,850 is less than 12,400 because it has no ten-thousands.
- Give an expanded form with a gap, such as 30,405 = 30,000 + ___ + 5, and ask which place is missing and how many it holds.
Units that teach this standard
Find where 4.NBT.A.2 lands in the program you teach. Each unit has a guide written for families. Unit names and order vary between editions and districts, so your school’s own materials have the exact sequence.
Bridges in Mathematics
enVision Mathematics
Everyday Mathematics
i-Ready Classroom Mathematics
Illustrative Mathematics
Reveal Math
Don’t see your curriculum? Contact Bobby and we’ll see if we can help!
Share it with families
Each skill has its own guide for families, with a plain-language look at the skill, three questions to try together, and ideas for helping at home.
Help every student practice place value at home
In Bobby's Math Club, students practice at just the right level, with a hint when they need one, a clear explanation after every question, and kid-friendly videos. Unlimited practice is free for every family.
See how it works for teachers
Written by Robert “Bobby” Barnett
Bobby is an award-winning math teacher, the author of Meet Every Learner’s Needs, and the father of two elementary-school math learners. He uses Bobby’s Math Club with his own kids a few times every week. Learn more or contact Bobby.