What is the Thousandths Place?

S1-SA2-0251

Grade Level:

Class 5

Maths, Finance, Science, Computing, AI

Definition

What is it?

The thousandths place is the third digit after the decimal point in a number. It represents parts of a whole that are divided into one thousand equal pieces. For example, 0.001 means one-thousandth.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine you have a 1-litre bottle of water. If you divide that litre into 1000 tiny drops, one of those drops would be 0.001 litres. The '1' is in the thousandths place, showing a very small part of the whole litre.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's identify the digit in the thousandths place in the number 15.348.

Step 1: Locate the decimal point. In 15.348, the decimal point is between 5 and 3.
---Step 2: Identify the digits to the right of the decimal point. These are 3, 4, and 8.
---Step 3: The first digit after the decimal is the tenths place. Here, it's 3.
---Step 4: The second digit after the decimal is the hundredths place. Here, it's 4.
---Step 5: The third digit after the decimal is the thousandths place. Here, it's 8.

So, the digit in the thousandths place in 15.348 is 8.

Why It Matters

Understanding the thousandths place is crucial for precise measurements in science and engineering, like when calculating the exact amount of medicine or tiny components. It's also important in finance for very accurate currency conversions or interest calculations, and even in computing for handling tiny fractions.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Confusing the thousandths place with the thousands place. For example, thinking the '2' in 1234.567 is the thousandths place. | CORRECTION: The thousands place is before the decimal point (e.g., the '1' in 1234), while the thousandths place is the third digit AFTER the decimal point (e.g., the '7' in 1234.567).

MISTAKE: Miscounting the decimal places. For example, thinking the '5' in 0.152 is the thousandths place. | CORRECTION: Always count three places to the right of the decimal point. Tenths (1st), Hundredths (2nd), Thousandths (3rd). So, in 0.152, '2' is in the thousandths place.

MISTAKE: Ignoring leading zeros after the decimal point. For example, thinking 0.5 means 'five thousandths'. | CORRECTION: Zeros after the decimal but before other digits are important for place value. 0.5 is five tenths, 0.05 is five hundredths, and 0.005 is five thousandths.

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: What digit is in the thousandths place in the number 7.209? | ANSWER: 9

QUESTION: Write the number 'four hundredths' as a decimal, then identify the digit in the thousandths place. | ANSWER: 0.040, the digit in the thousandths place is 0.

QUESTION: A small packet of spices weighs 0.015 kg. If you need to write this weight in terms of thousandths of a kilogram, how many thousandths is it? | ANSWER: 15 thousandths (because 0.015 = 15/1000)

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which of the following numbers has a '6' in the thousandths place?

12.634

5.062

0.126

67.89

The Correct Answer Is:

The thousandths place is the third digit after the decimal point. In 0.126, the '1' is in the tenths place, '2' in the hundredths place, and '6' in the thousandths place. In option A, '6' is in the tenths place; in B, '6' is in the hundredths place; in D, '6' is in the tens place.

Real World Connection

In the Real World

When a scientist measures the amount of a chemical for an experiment, like in an ISRO lab, they often need extremely precise values. For instance, they might need 0.003 grams of a substance. Here, the '3' is in the thousandths place, showing a very tiny, yet critical, amount that ensures the experiment works correctly.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

DECIMAL POINT: A dot separating the whole number part from the fractional part of a number | PLACE VALUE: The value of a digit based on its position in a number | TENTHS PLACE: The first digit after the decimal point | HUNDREDTHS PLACE: The second digit after the decimal point | FRACTION: A part of a whole, like 1/1000

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Great job understanding the thousandths place! Next, you can explore rounding decimals to different place values. This will help you simplify numbers while keeping them close to their original value, which is very useful in everyday calculations.