Numbers
Lakh, crore and the Indian number system
Read, write and compare large numbers in the Indian system of numeration, and place its commas.
There are two ways of writing a big number, and both are correct. The international system groups the digits in threes and names the groups thousand, million, billion. The Indian system groups them differently and names them thousand, lakh, crore. The digits never change — only where the commas fall and what you call the groups.
Where the commas go
Indian system: put the first comma three digits in from the right, then keep going two digits at a time — 12,34,567. International system: threes all the way along — 1,234,567. Both of those are the same number written twice.
Worked example
Write 5642318 in both systems, then read it the Indian way.
Count three from the right and put a comma there: 5642,318.
Both systems start the same way, because both call the first group thousands.
Remember
One lakh is 1,00,000 — a hundred thousand. One crore is 1,00,00,000 — a hundred lakh, which is ten million. So ten lakh and one million are the same amount, written and named two ways.
Try it together
Let us count 45,00,000 in lakh, and then in millions.
Counting in lakh and counting in millions are two ways of measuring the same number, so a number can always be turned from one into the other.
1.How many lakh is 45,00,000? Give just the number.
Have a go
Have a go on your own: how many lakh is 60,00,000? Give just the number.
Hint: Cover the last five digits. What is left is the count of lakh.
Ready to practise?
Eight questions on what you have just read. Nothing is timed, and you can play as many times as you like.