UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Education
⋄
ASSIGNMENT 02
Semester 1 – 2026
⋄
Module Code: MIP1501
Module Name: Mathematics for Intermediate Phase Teach-
ers I
Assignment No.: 02
Unique Number: 769422
Due Date: 01 June 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Lecturer: Dr PE Rankweteke
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for MIP1501
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | MIP1501 Assignment 02 – 2026
Question 1: Number Sense, Place Value, and Zero
1.1 The Number 4008
Question 1.1(a) – Is the learner’s reading of 4008 correct? Motivate.
Question: A Grade 5 learner writes 4008 as “four thousand and eight”. Is the answer correct?
Motivate.
Answer:
Yes, the learner’s answer is correct.
The number 4008 is read as four thousand and eight because:
• The digit 4 sits in the thousands place, giving a value of 4 × 1000 = 4000.
• The digits in the hundreds and tens places are both zero, meaning there are no hundreds
and no tens.
• The digit 8 sits in the units place, giving a value of 8 × 1 = 8.
When reading a number aloud, the word “and” is placed between the thousands and the re-
maining digits when those remaining digits do not fill a complete group of hundreds. Since
4000 + 8 = 4008, reading it as “four thousand and eight” is the standard and accepted form
(Van de Walle, Karp and Bay-Williams, 2019).
Implementation Insight
In South African classrooms, the word “and” in a number name signals a break be-
tween the thousands and the smaller units. Learners should understand that the zeros
between 4 and 8 mean the hundreds and tens positions are empty, not missing.
Question 1.1(b) – Write 4008 in expanded form using powers of 10.
Question: Write 4008 in expanded form using powers of 10 and briefly explain each step to a
Grade 5 learner.
Answer:
Each digit in a number holds a place value that is a power of 10. Starting from the right:
Page 1 of 22
, UNISA | MIP1501 Assignment 02 – 2026
Units place : 100 = 1
Tens place : 101 = 10
Hundreds place : 102 = 100
Thousands place : 103 = 1000
Reading 4008 digit by digit from left to right:
4008 = (4 × 103 ) + (0 × 102 ) + (0 × 101 ) + (8 × 100 )
= (4 × 1000) + (0 × 100) + (0 × 10) + (8 × 1)
= 4000 + 0 + 0 + 8
= 4008
Step-by-step for Grade 5 learners:
1. Write the number 4008 and identify each digit’s place value column.
2. The digit 4 is in the thousands column, so its value is 4 × 1000 = 4000.
3. The digit 0 is in the hundreds column, so its value is 0 × 100 = 0.
4. The digit 0 is in the tens column, so its value is 0 × 10 = 0.
5. The digit 8 is in the units column, so its value is 8 × 1 = 8.
6. Add all the values: 4000 + 0 + 0 + 8 = 4008.
Question 1.1(c) – What do the two zeros in 4008 represent?
Question: Explain to the learner what the two zeros represent in 4008.
Answer:
The two zeros in 4008 are placeholder zeros. They hold the hundreds and tens positions
open so that every digit remains in its correct column.
• The zero in the hundreds place means: there are no hundreds in this number.
• The zero in the tens place means: there are no tens in this number.
Page 2 of 22
College of Education
⋄
ASSIGNMENT 02
Semester 1 – 2026
⋄
Module Code: MIP1501
Module Name: Mathematics for Intermediate Phase Teach-
ers I
Assignment No.: 02
Unique Number: 769422
Due Date: 01 June 2026
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Lecturer: Dr PE Rankweteke
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for MIP1501
at the University of South Africa.
,UNISA | MIP1501 Assignment 02 – 2026
Question 1: Number Sense, Place Value, and Zero
1.1 The Number 4008
Question 1.1(a) – Is the learner’s reading of 4008 correct? Motivate.
Question: A Grade 5 learner writes 4008 as “four thousand and eight”. Is the answer correct?
Motivate.
Answer:
Yes, the learner’s answer is correct.
The number 4008 is read as four thousand and eight because:
• The digit 4 sits in the thousands place, giving a value of 4 × 1000 = 4000.
• The digits in the hundreds and tens places are both zero, meaning there are no hundreds
and no tens.
• The digit 8 sits in the units place, giving a value of 8 × 1 = 8.
When reading a number aloud, the word “and” is placed between the thousands and the re-
maining digits when those remaining digits do not fill a complete group of hundreds. Since
4000 + 8 = 4008, reading it as “four thousand and eight” is the standard and accepted form
(Van de Walle, Karp and Bay-Williams, 2019).
Implementation Insight
In South African classrooms, the word “and” in a number name signals a break be-
tween the thousands and the smaller units. Learners should understand that the zeros
between 4 and 8 mean the hundreds and tens positions are empty, not missing.
Question 1.1(b) – Write 4008 in expanded form using powers of 10.
Question: Write 4008 in expanded form using powers of 10 and briefly explain each step to a
Grade 5 learner.
Answer:
Each digit in a number holds a place value that is a power of 10. Starting from the right:
Page 1 of 22
, UNISA | MIP1501 Assignment 02 – 2026
Units place : 100 = 1
Tens place : 101 = 10
Hundreds place : 102 = 100
Thousands place : 103 = 1000
Reading 4008 digit by digit from left to right:
4008 = (4 × 103 ) + (0 × 102 ) + (0 × 101 ) + (8 × 100 )
= (4 × 1000) + (0 × 100) + (0 × 10) + (8 × 1)
= 4000 + 0 + 0 + 8
= 4008
Step-by-step for Grade 5 learners:
1. Write the number 4008 and identify each digit’s place value column.
2. The digit 4 is in the thousands column, so its value is 4 × 1000 = 4000.
3. The digit 0 is in the hundreds column, so its value is 0 × 100 = 0.
4. The digit 0 is in the tens column, so its value is 0 × 10 = 0.
5. The digit 8 is in the units column, so its value is 8 × 1 = 8.
6. Add all the values: 4000 + 0 + 0 + 8 = 4008.
Question 1.1(c) – What do the two zeros in 4008 represent?
Question: Explain to the learner what the two zeros represent in 4008.
Answer:
The two zeros in 4008 are placeholder zeros. They hold the hundreds and tens positions
open so that every digit remains in its correct column.
• The zero in the hundreds place means: there are no hundreds in this number.
• The zero in the tens place means: there are no tens in this number.
Page 2 of 22
