# Early understanding of multi-digit numbers

> **NIH NIH F32** · TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $55,984

## Abstract

Place value concepts and multi-digit numbers are the foundations of mathematics; however, many 
children struggle at acquiring this knowledge. Poor understanding of the place value concepts has 
been linked to difficulties in mathematics learning through the elementary and middle school 
grades, and it is present not only for children with learning disabilities but also for a large 
proportion of normally developing children. It is, thus, important to understand the developmental 
mechanisms of multi-digit number learning and potential sources of early experiences that allow 
some children to readily grasp the concepts while others continue to struggle.
Recent research on place value concepts has suggested that children have partial knowledge of 
multi-digit numbers at the preschool period, before receiving formal training from schools. These 
precursors of multi-digit number knowledge can serve as important stepping-stones for children to 
master the concept of place value once entering schools. However, there are at least two gaps in 
our current understanding of the development  of place value concepts. First, how does early 
understanding of multi-digit numbers relate to formal school training of the place value concepts? 
Second, how do children come to acquire partial knowledge of multi-digit numbers at such a young 
age in the first place? The goal of the proposed research aims at filling these gaps in the 
literature with three specific aims. Aim 1 tests the hypothesis that early knowledge of multi-digit 
numbers is predictive of later school learning of the place value concepts. I propose to conduct a 
3-year longitudinal study to measure children’s early understanding of multi-digit numbers at the 
start and end of kindergarten, 1st  and 2nd grades. The study will test how early knowledge of 
number names and written numerals, as well as other individual difference measurements (e.g., age, 
gender, SES, number sense, home exposures to numbers),  relate to the learning of base-10 
principles in grade school. Aim 2 tests the hypothesis that acquiring early knowledge of 
multi-digit numbers is a form of statistical learning, during which children extract latent 
structures that govern the mapping between number words and written numerals through sparse 
co-occurrence data. A training study is designed to give children casual experiences with 
multi-digit numbers in engaging and child- friendly activities (e.g., picture-book reading, ipad 
games). The same children in the statistical learning training will also be given formal school 
training afterward, allowing us to assess and provide causal evidence for the hypothesis that early 
knowledge prepares children for formal school training of the place value concepts. The knowledge 
gained from this research will have implications for: a) determining the role of early knowledge of 
multi-digit numbers in preparing children to learn about base-10 notation at schools; b) linking 
statistical le...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9815468
- **Project number:** 5F32HD090827-03
- **Recipient organization:** TRUSTEES OF INDIANA UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Lei Yuan
- **Activity code:** F32 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $55,984
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-11-01 → 2020-08-16

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9815468

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9815468, Early understanding of multi-digit numbers (5F32HD090827-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9815468. Licensed CC0.

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