What is The Number 108?

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Grade Level:

Pre-School – Class 2

All domains without exception

Definition

What is it?

The number 108 is a natural number that comes after 107 and before 109. It is a three-digit number that holds special significance in many Indian traditions, mathematics, and even sports.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine you have 108 laddoos for a festival. This is a specific quantity, a count. Or, if you are playing cricket and your favourite batsman scores 108 runs, that's their score. It's just a number that represents a quantity.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's understand 108 by breaking it down:
1. Start with the number 100.
2. Add 8 to it. So, 100 + 8.
3. The result is 108.
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4. Alternatively, think of 108 as a collection of smaller numbers.
5. You can have 100 ones, plus 8 ones.
6. This totals to 108 ones.
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7. In terms of place value: 1 in the hundreds place, 0 in the tens place, and 8 in the ones place.
8. This means (1 x 100) + (0 x 10) + (8 x 1) = 100 + 0 + 8 = 108.
Answer: The number is 108.

Why It Matters

Understanding numbers like 108 is fundamental to mathematics, helping you count, measure, and solve problems. This skill is crucial for careers in finance (calculating money), engineering (designing structures), and even data science (analysing large sets of numbers).

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Confusing 108 with 18 or 180. | CORRECTION: Pay attention to the position of each digit. 108 has '1' in the hundreds place, '0' in the tens, and '8' in the ones. 18 has no hundreds, and 180 has '1' in hundreds, '8' in tens, and '0' in ones.

MISTAKE: Thinking 108 is a prime number. | CORRECTION: A prime number can only be divided by 1 and itself. 108 can be divided by 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 12, etc., besides 1 and 108. So, it is a composite number.

MISTAKE: Misreading the number, for example, as 'one eight' instead of 'one hundred eight'. | CORRECTION: Always read three-digit numbers by stating the hundreds place first, then the remaining two-digit number (if any). So, 108 is 'one hundred eight'.

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: What is 100 plus 8? | ANSWER: 108

QUESTION: If you have 108 marbles and give away 8, how many do you have left? | ANSWER: 100

QUESTION: A bus has 50 seats. If 108 people want to travel, how many buses are needed if one bus is full and the remaining people take another bus? | ANSWER: 3 buses (2 full buses and 1 bus with 8 people)

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which of these is the correct way to write the number one hundred eight?

180

108

1008

The Correct Answer Is:

The number one hundred eight is written as 108, with 1 in the hundreds place, 0 in the tens place, and 8 in the ones place. Options A, C, and D represent different numbers.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

In India, the number 108 is very significant. For example, the emergency ambulance service number is 108, providing quick help in critical situations. Many temples have 108 steps, or you might see a mala (prayer beads) with 108 beads, used in meditation.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

DIGIT: A symbol used to write numbers (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) | PLACE VALUE: The value of a digit based on its position in a number | NATURAL NUMBER: Counting numbers starting from 1 (1, 2, 3...) | COMPOSITE NUMBER: A number that has more than two factors (can be divided by more than 1 and itself)

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Now that you understand 108, you can explore other three-digit numbers and their properties. Next, you can learn about place value in larger numbers, which will help you work with numbers up to thousands and beyond!