One lakh is equivalent to one hundred thousand (\(1,00,000\)).
We introduces this concept through real-world scenarios, such as a farmer discussing "a lakh varieties of rice" or comparing the "capacity of a cricket stadium" to over one lakh people. It encourages thinking about whether one lakh is a very large number by presenting it next to different scales of measurement.
Understanding large numbers is made easier by observing patterns in the number system.
Adding \(1\) to the largest \( 5 \)-digit number ( \(99,999\) ) gives \( 1,00,000 \) (one lakh), which is the smallest \( 6 \)-digit number.
Proceeding in this way, we can have the following table.
| Greatest number | Adding 1 | Smallest number |
| \(9\) | \(+1\) | \(=10\) |
| \(99\) | \(+1\) |
\(=100\)
|
| \(999\) | \(+1\) | \(=1000\) |
| \(9999\) | \(+1\) | \(=10000\) |
| \(99999\) | \(+1\) | \(=100000\) |
Comma is placed after the hundreds place and subsequent commas are placed after every two digits, moving from right to left.
Example:
Let us take the number \(100000\), the commas placed are \(1,00,000\) is read as "One Lakh."
Important!
Recall the following:
\(1\) tens \(=10\) ones
\(10\) tens \(=1\) hundreds \(=100\) ones
\(1\) thousand \(=10\) hundreds \(=100\) tens
\(1\) lakh \(=100\) thousands \(=1000\) hundreds
\(1\) tens \(=10\) ones
\(10\) tens \(=1\) hundreds \(=100\) ones
\(1\) thousand \(=10\) hundreds \(=100\) tens
\(1\) lakh \(=100\) thousands \(=1000\) hundreds