1.2: Reading and Writing Whole Numbers

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Learning Objectives

be able to read and write a whole number

Because our number system is a positional number system, reading and writing whole numbers is quite simple.

Reading Whole Numbers

To convert a number that is formed by digits into a verbal phrase, use the following method:

Beginning at the right and working right to left, separate the number into distinct periods by inserting commas every three digits.
Beginning at the left, read each period individually, saying the period name.

Sample Set A

Write the following numbers as words.

Read $42958$.

Solution

Step 1: Beginning at the right, we can separate this number into distinct periods by inserting a comma between the 2 and 9.

$42,958$

Step 2: Beginning at the left, we read each period individually:

$Three segments within the thousands period, with a 4 and a 2 in the second and third segments. To the right is a comma, and the label, forty-two thousand.$
$Three segments within the units period, with a 9, a 5, and an 8 in the segment. To the right is the label, nine hundred fifty-eight.$

Forty-two thousand, nine hundred fifty-eight.

Sample Set A

Solution

Step 1: Beginning at the right, we can separate this number into distinct periods by placing commas between the 1 and 3 and the 7 and 9.

$307,991,343$

Step 2: Beginning at the left, we read each period individually.

$Three segments within the millions period, with a 3, a 0, and a 7 in the segments. To the right is a comma, and the label, three hundred seven million.$
$Three segments within the thousands period, with a 9, a 9, and a 1 in the segments. To the right is a comma, and the label, nine hundred ninety-one thousand.$
$Three segments within the units period, with a 3, a 4, and a 3 in the segments. To the right is the label, three hundred forty-three.$

Three hundred seven million, nine hundred ninety-one thousand, three hundred forty-three.

Sample Set A

Solution

Step 1: Beginning at the right, we can separate this number into distinct periods by placing commas.

$36,000,000,000,001$

Step 2: Beginning at the left, we read each period individually.

$Three segments within the trillions period, with a 3 and a 6 in the second and third segments. To the right is a comma, and the label, thirty six trillion. Three segments within the billions period, with a 0 in each segment. To the right is a comma, and the label, zero billion. Three segments within the millions period, with a 0 in each segment. To the right is a comma, and the label, zero million. Three segments within the units period, with a 0 in each segment. To the right is a comma, and the label, zero thousand. Three segments within the units period, with a 0 in the first two segments, and a 1 in the third segment. To the right is the label, one.$

Thirty-six trillion, one.

Practice Set A

Write each number in words.

12,542

Answer: Twelve thousand, five hundred forty-two

Practice Set A

101,074,003

Answer: One hundred one million, seventy-four thousand, three

Practice Set A

1,000,008

Answer: One million, eight

Writing Whole Numbers

To express a number in digits that is expressed in words, use the following method:

Notice first that a number expressed as a verbal phrase will have its periods set off by commas.
Starting at the beginning of the phrase, write each period of numbers individually.
Using commas to separate periods, combine the periods to form one number.

Sample Set B

Write each number using digits.

Seven thousand, ninety-two.

Solution

Using the comma as a period separator, we have

$the words seven thousand, in a bracket, pointing to the number 7, followed by a comma. The words ninety-two, in a bracket, pointing to the number 092.$

7,092

Sample Set B

Fifty billion, one million, two hundred thousand, fourteen.

Solution

Using the commas as period separators, we have

$Fifty billion, one million, two hundred thousand, fourteen, separated by periods, with their corresponding numbers to the side of each period.$

50,001,200,014

Sample Set B

Ten million, five hundred twelve.

Solution

The comma sets off the periods. We notice that there is no thousands period. We'll have to insert this ourselves.

$Ten million, zero thousand, fife hundred twelve, separated by periods, with their corresponding numbers to the side of each period.$

10,000,512

Practice Set B

Express each number using digits.

One hundred three thousand, twenty-five.

Answer: 103,025

Practice Set B

Six million, forty thousand, seven.

Answer: 6,040,007

Practice Set B

Twenty trillion, three billion, eighty million, one hundred nine thousand, four hundred two.

Answer: 20,003,080,109,402

Practice Set B

Eighty billion, thirty-five.

Answer: 80,000,000,035

Exercises

For the following problems, write all numbers in words.

Exercise $\PageIndex{1}$

912

Answer: nine hundred twelve

Exercise $\PageIndex{2}$

Exercise $\PageIndex{3}$

1491

Answer: one thousand, four hundred ninety-one

Exercise $\PageIndex{4}$

8601

Exercise $\PageIndex{5}$

35,223

Answer: thirty-five thousand, two hundred twenty-three

Exercise $\PageIndex{6}$

71,006

Exercise $\PageIndex{7}$

437,105

Answer: four hundred thirty-seven thousand, one hundred five

Exercise $\PageIndex{8}$

201,040

Exercise $\PageIndex{9}$

8,001,001

Answer: eight million, one thousand, one

Exercise $\PageIndex{10}$

16,000,053

Exercise $\PageIndex{11}$

770,311,101

Answer: seven hundred seventy million, three hundred eleven thousand, one hundred one

Exercise $\PageIndex{12}$

83,000,000,007

Exercise $\PageIndex{13}$

106,100,001,010

Answer: one hundred six billion, one hundred million, one thousand ten

Exercise $\PageIndex{14}$

3,333,444,777

Exercise $\PageIndex{15}$

800,000,800,000

Answer: eight hundred billion, eight hundred thousand

Exercise $\PageIndex{16}$

A particular community college has 12,471 students enrolled.

Exercise $\PageIndex{17}$

A person who watches 4 hours of television a day spends 1460 hours a year watching T.V.

Answer: four; one thousand, four hundred sixty

Exercise $\PageIndex{18}$

Astronomers believe that the age of the earth is about 4,500,000,000 years.

Exercise $\PageIndex{19}$

Astronomers believe that the age of the universe is about 20,000,000,000 years.

Answer: twenty billion

Exercise $\PageIndex{20}$

There are 9690 ways to choose four objects from a collection of 20.

Exercise $\PageIndex{21}$

If a 412 page book has about 52 sentences per page, it will contain about 21,424 sentences.

Answer: four hundred twelve; fifty-two; twenty-one thousand, four hundred twenty-four

Exercise $\PageIndex{22}$

In 1980, in the United States, there was $1,761,000,000,000 invested in life insurance.

Exercise $\PageIndex{23}$

In 1979, there were 85,000 telephones in Alaska and 2,905,000 telephones in Indiana.

Answer: one thousand, nine hundred seventy-nine; eighty-five thousand; two million, nine hundred five thousand

Exercise $\PageIndex{24}$

In 1975, in the United States, it is estimated that 52,294,000 people drove to work alone.

Exercise $\PageIndex{25}$

In 1980, there were 217 prisoners under death sentence that were divorced.

Answer: one thousand, nine hundred eighty; two hundred seventeen

Exercise $\PageIndex{26}$

In 1979, the amount of money spent in the United States for regular-session college education was $50,721,000,000,000.

Exercise $\PageIndex{27}$

In 1981, there were 1,956,000 students majoring in business in U.S. colleges.

Answer: one thousand, nine hundred eighty one; one million, nine hundred fifty-six thousand

Exercise $\PageIndex{28}$

In 1980, the average fee for initial and follow up visits to a medical doctors office was about $34.

Exercise $\PageIndex{29}$

In 1980, there were approximately 13,100 smugglers of aliens apprehended by the Immigration border patrol.

Answer: one thousand, nine hundred eighty; thirteen thousand, one hundred

Exercise $\PageIndex{30}$

In 1980, the state of West Virginia pumped 2,000,000 barrels of crude oil, whereas Texas pumped 975,000,000 barrels.

Exercise $\PageIndex{31}$

The 1981 population of Uganda was 12,630,000 people.

Answer: twelve million, six hundred thirty thousand

Exercise $\PageIndex{32}$

In 1981, the average monthly salary offered to a person with a Master's degree in mathematics was $1,685.

For the following problems, write each number using digits.

Exercise $\PageIndex{33}$

Six hundred eighty-one

Answer: 681

Exercise $\PageIndex{34}$

Four hundred ninety

Exercise $\PageIndex{35}$

Seven thousand, two hundred one

Answer: 7,201

Exercise $\PageIndex{36}$

Nineteen thousand, sixty-five

Exercise $\PageIndex{37}$

Five hundred twelve thousand, three

Answer: 512,003

Exercise $\PageIndex{38}$

Two million, one hundred thirty-three thousand, eight hundred fifty-nine

Exercise $\PageIndex{39}$

Thirty-five million, seven thousand, one hundred one

Answer: 35,007,101

Exercise $\PageIndex{40}$

One hundred million, one thousand

Exercise $\PageIndex{41}$

Sixteen billion, fifty-nine thousand, four

Answer: 16,000,059,004

Exercise $\PageIndex{42}$

Nine hundred twenty billion, four hundred seventeen million, twenty-one thousand

Exercise $\PageIndex{43}$

Twenty-three billion

Answer: 23,000,000,000

Exercise $\PageIndex{44}$

Fifteen trillion, four billion, nineteen thousand, three hundred five

Exercise $\PageIndex{45}$

One hundred trillion, one

Answer: 100,000,000,000,001

Exercises for Review

Exercise $\PageIndex{46}$

([link]) How many digits are there?

Exercise $\PageIndex{47}$

([link]) In the number 6,641, how many tens are there?

Answer: 4

Exercise $\PageIndex{48}$

([link]) What is the value of 7 in 44,763?

Exercise $\PageIndex{49}$

([link]) Is there a smallest whole number? If so, what is it?

Answer: yes, zero

Exercise $\PageIndex{50}$

([link]) Write a four-digit number with a 9 in the tens position.

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