What is Thirty-Eight?

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Grade Level:

Pre-School – Class 2

All domains without exception

Definition

What is it?

Thirty-Eight is a number. It comes after thirty-seven and before thirty-nine. We write it as '38' using the digits 3 and 8.

Simple Example

Quick Example

Imagine you have 38 lollipops. If you eat one, you will have 37 left. If you get one more, you will have 39. So, 38 is simply a count of thirty-eight items.

Worked Example

Step-by-Step

Let's say your school cricket team scored 38 runs in the first 5 overs. --- To understand what 38 means, we can break it down. --- It means they scored 3 tens and 8 ones. --- So, 10 + 10 + 10 + 8 = 38. --- If they score 10 more runs, their total will be 38 + 10 = 48 runs. --- If they lose 5 runs due to penalties, their score would be 38 - 5 = 33 runs. --- So, 38 is a specific quantity that can be added to or subtracted from. --- The score is 38 runs.

Why It Matters

Understanding numbers like thirty-eight is fundamental to all of mathematics and science. From counting money to calculating distances, numbers are everywhere. Engineers, scientists, and even shopkeepers use numbers daily to solve problems and make decisions.

Common Mistakes

MISTAKE: Confusing 38 with 83. | CORRECTION: The position of digits matters! 38 means three tens and eight ones, while 83 means eight tens and three ones. They are different numbers.

MISTAKE: Thinking 38 is an odd number. | CORRECTION: 38 is an even number because it can be divided by 2 without a remainder (38 / 2 = 19). Odd numbers end in 1, 3, 5, 7, or 9.

MISTAKE: Writing 'thirty eight' as one word 'thirtyeight'. | CORRECTION: When writing numbers in words, use a hyphen between the tens and ones place (e.g., thirty-eight, twenty-one).

Practice Questions

Try It Yourself

QUESTION: If you have 20 rupees and your friend gives you 18 more rupees, how much money do you have in total? | ANSWER: 38 rupees

QUESTION: A bus has 38 seats. If 15 passengers get off and 5 new passengers get on, how many passengers are now on the bus? | ANSWER: 28 passengers (38 - 15 + 5 = 28)

QUESTION: Your mobile data plan gives you 38 GB of data per month. If you use 15 GB in the first week and 12 GB in the second week, how much data do you have left for the rest of the month? | ANSWER: 11 GB (38 - 15 - 12 = 11)

MCQ

Quick Quiz

Which of these statements about the number 38 is true?

It is an odd number.

It comes after 39.

It is made up of 3 tens and 8 ones.

It is a prime number.

The Correct Answer Is:

Option C is correct because 38 can be broken down into 30 (three tens) and 8 (eight ones). It is an even number, comes before 39, and is not prime (it can be divided by 2 and 19).

Real World Connection

In the Real World

You might see the number 38 on a bus number plate, indicating its route. Or, if you are buying groceries, a bill might total 38 rupees. Even when checking the temperature in Celsius, a reading of 38 degrees might indicate a warm day in many parts of India.

Key Vocabulary

Key Terms

DIGIT: A single symbol used to write numbers (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) | EVEN NUMBER: A number that can be divided by 2 exactly | PLACE VALUE: The value of a digit based on its position in a number | QUANTITY: An amount or number of something

What's Next

What to Learn Next

Now that you understand what thirty-eight is, you can explore larger numbers and their place values. Next, learn about 'What is Forty?' to build on your understanding of counting and number sequences.