The Structure Beneath the Symbols: How Children Develop an Understanding of Place Value
Current Directions in Psychological Science
Published online on March 18, 2026
Abstract
Current Directions in Psychological Science, Ahead of Print.
The place-value concept is fundamental to understanding the symbolic number system. It dictates that the value of a digit in a number is based on its position or place within the number (e.g., the “5” in “510” is five units of 100, whereas the “5” in “51” ...
The place-value concept is fundamental to understanding the symbolic number system. It dictates that the value of a digit in a number is based on its position or place within the number (e.g., the “5” in “510” is five units of 100, whereas the “5” in “51” ...