Digit

Digit

Any of the symbols 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 used to write numbers. For example, the digits in the number 361 are 3, 6, and 1.

Worked Example

Problem: Identify each digit in the number 5,074 and state its place value.

Step 1: List the individual digits that make up the number 5,074.

5,\; 0,\; 7,\; 4

Step 2: Assign each digit its place value, reading from left to right.

5 \text{ (thousands)},\; 0 \text{ (hundreds)},\; 7 \text{ (tens)},\; 4 \text{ (ones)}

Step 3: Express the number as the sum of each digit multiplied by its place value.

5{,}074 = 5 \times 1000 + 0 \times 100 + 7 \times 10 + 4 \times 1

Answer: The number 5,074 contains four digits: 5, 0, 7, and 4, sitting in the thousands, hundreds, tens, and ones places respectively.

Why It Matters

Understanding digits is essential for working with place value, which determines how much each symbol contributes to a number's total value. When you add, subtract, multiply, or divide, you are ultimately manipulating individual digits and carrying or borrowing between place-value columns. Digits also matter in topics like rounding, estimation, and significant figures.

Common Mistakes

Mistake: Confusing a digit with the number itself — for example, saying the number 47 is a digit.

Correction: A digit is a single symbol (0–9). The number 47 is a two-digit number made up of the digits 4 and 7. Only single symbols qualify as digits.

Related Terms

Place Value — Determines each digit's contribution to a number
Number — Quantity represented by one or more digits
Whole Number — Non-negative number composed of digits
Numeral — Written symbol or group of symbols for a number