Numbers and Digits
Numbers and Digits form the basic foundation of the Number System.
A clear understanding of digits, place value, face value and formation
of numbers is useful for solving many questions asked in JSSC, SSC
and Railway examinations.
1. What is a Digit?
A digit is a basic symbol used to represent numbers.
In the decimal number system, there are ten digits:
0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9
All numbers in the decimal number system are formed by using these ten
digits individually or in different combinations.
Examples:
- 7 is a one-digit number.
- 42 is a two-digit number.
- 583 is a three-digit number.
- 7264 is a four-digit number.
In the number 583, 5, 8 and 3 are digits, whereas
583 is the number formed by those digits.
2. What is a Number?
A number is a mathematical value represented by one
or more digits.
For example, 4, 27, 105 and 5837 are numbers.
Important: The decimal number system contains only
10 digits, but infinitely many numbers can be formed using these digits.
3. Difference Between a Digit and a Number
| Digit |
Number |
| A basic symbol used to write numbers. |
A mathematical value represented using one or more digits. |
| There are only 10 decimal digits. |
There are infinitely many numbers. |
| Digits are 0 to 9. |
Examples: 18, 205, 7896. |
4. Face Value of a Digit
The face value of a digit is the value of the digit
itself, irrespective of its position in a number.
Example:
In the number 57,483, the face value of 7 is 7.
Similarly, in 7, 70, 507 and 7,895, the face value of the digit 7
remains 7.
5. Place Value of a Digit
The place value of a digit is the value it acquires
according to its position in a number.
Place Value = Digit × Value of its Place
Consider the number 57,483:
| Digit |
Place |
Place Value |
| 3 | Ones | 3 |
| 8 | Tens | 80 |
| 4 | Hundreds | 400 |
| 7 | Thousands | 7,000 |
| 5 | Ten Thousands | 50,000 |
Exam Point: Face value does not change with position,
whereas place value changes according to the position of the digit.
6. Indian Place Value System
In the Indian place value system, the places are arranged as:
Ones → Tens → Hundreds → Thousands → Ten Thousands → Lakhs →
Ten Lakhs → Crores → Ten Crores
| Place |
Value |
| Ones | 1 |
| Tens | 10 |
| Hundreds | 100 |
| Thousands | 1,000 |
| Ten Thousands | 10,000 |
| Lakh | 1,00,000 |
| Ten Lakh | 10,00,000 |
| Crore | 1,00,00,000 |
| Ten Crore | 10,00,00,000 |
In the Indian system, a comma is first placed after three digits from
the right and thereafter after every two digits.
Example: 123456789 is written as
12,34,56,789.
7. International Place Value System
In the International place value system, the places are arranged as:
Ones → Tens → Hundreds → Thousands → Ten Thousands →
Hundred Thousands → Millions → Ten Millions →
Hundred Millions → Billions
Commas are placed after every three digits from the right.
Example: 123456789 is written as
123,456,789.
Important Conversions
1 Million = 10 Lakh
10 Million = 1 Crore
100 Million = 10 Crore
1 Billion = 100 Crore
8. One-Digit, Two-Digit and n-Digit Numbers
Positive one-digit numbers are from 1 to 9. Therefore, there are
9 positive one-digit numbers.
Two-digit numbers range from 10 to 99.
Number of two-digit numbers:
99 − 10 + 1 = 90
Three-digit numbers range from 100 to 999.
999 − 100 + 1 = 900
Number of positive n-digit numbers = 9 × 10n−1
For example, the number of 5-digit positive numbers is:
9 × 104 = 90,000
9. Smallest and Largest n-Digit Numbers
Smallest positive n-digit number = 10n−1
Largest n-digit number = 10n − 1
| Digits |
Smallest Number |
Largest Number |
| 1 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 | 10 | 99 |
| 3 | 100 | 999 |
| 4 | 1,000 | 9,999 |
| 5 | 10,000 | 99,999 |
10. Formation of Greatest and Smallest Numbers
To form the greatest number using given digits,
arrange the digits in descending order.
To form the smallest number, arrange the digits in
ascending order.
However, if 0 is among the given digits, it cannot be placed at the
beginning of a multi-digit number.
Example: Using 0, 2, 5 and 8 once each:
Greatest four-digit number = 8520
Smallest four-digit number = 2058
11. Reversal of Digits
Suppose a two-digit number has x as its tens digit
and y as its units digit.
Original number = 10x + y
Reversed number = 10y + x
The difference between them is:
(10x + y) − (10y + x) = 9(x − y)
Important: The difference between a two-digit number
and the number formed by reversing its digits is always divisible by 9.
12. Representation of a Three-Digit Number
If x, y and z represent the hundreds, tens and units digits respectively,
then:
Number = 100x + 10y + z
Reversed number = 100z + 10y + x
13. Sum of Digits
The sum obtained by adding all the digits of a number is called the
sum of its digits.
Example:
Sum of the digits of 58,372
= 5 + 8 + 3 + 7 + 2
= 25
The sum of digits becomes especially useful while studying divisibility
rules and remainder problems.
14. Useful Algebraic Representation of Digits
| Two-digit number | 10x + y |
| Reversed two-digit number | 10y + x |
| Three-digit number | 100x + 10y + z |
| Number aa | 11a |
| Number aaa | 111a |
| Number aaaa | 1111a |
Solved Examples
Example 1: Find the place value of 4 in 84,765.
Solution: 4 is in the thousands place.
Therefore, its place value = 4,000.
Example 2: Find the difference between the
place value and face value of 3 in 73,452.
Place value = 3,000
Face value = 3
Difference = 3,000 − 3 = 2,997
Example 3: How many 5-digit positive numbers are there?
Number = 9 × 105−1
= 9 × 104
= 90,000
Example 4: Form the smallest four-digit number
using 5, 0, 8 and 2 exactly once.
0 cannot be placed first. The smallest non-zero digit is 2.
Put 0 after 2 and arrange the remaining digits in ascending order.
Therefore, the required number = 2058.
Practice Questions
Q1. What is the place value of 6 in 4,63,215?
A. 6
B. 600
C. 6,000
D. 60,000
Answer: D. 60,000
Q2. How many three-digit positive numbers are there?
A. 99
B. 100
C. 899
D. 900
Answer: D. 900
Q3. What is the smallest four-digit number that
can be formed using 0, 7, 3 and 5 once each?
A. 0357
B. 3057
C. 3075
D. 3507
Answer: B. 3057
Quick Revision
- There are 10 digits in the decimal number system: 0 to 9.
- Face value is the digit itself.
- Place value depends on the position of the digit.
- Number of positive n-digit numbers = 9 × 10n−1.
- Smallest positive n-digit number = 10n−1.
- Largest n-digit number = 10n − 1.
- A multi-digit number cannot begin with 0 in its usual notation.
- A two-digit number with digits x and y is represented as 10x + y.
- The difference between a two-digit number and its reverse is divisible by 9.
Practice important previous year questions based on Numbers and Digits,
Face Value and Place Value.
Try these additional exam-oriented questions based on the concepts covered
in this topic. Attempt each question before revealing the answer.