536 = 500 + 30 + 6
Today we'll write three-digit numbers in expanded form. Let's try the number five hundred thirty-six.
Here it is: 536. It has three digits, and each digit lives in its own place.
From left to right, the places are hundreds, tens, and ones.
Look at the first digit, the five. It sits in the hundreds place.
So the five is really worth five hundred.
Next, the three. It sits in the tens place.
So the three is really worth thirty.
Last, the six. It sits in the ones place, so it's worth just six.
Now we add the values together with plus signs: five hundred plus thirty plus six.
That's expanded form! 536 equals 500 plus 30 plus 6. You broke the number into its place values!