Magnetic Base Ten Block for School Maths Lab

Quick Answer: The Magnetic Base Ten Block set provides place-value pieces for ones, tens and hundreds that cling to a magnetic whiteboard. Teachers use magnetic base ten blocks to demonstrate place value, exchanging ten ones for a ten, and regrouping in addition and subtraction for the whole class.

Place Value the Whole Class Can See

Base ten pieces work because their sizes carry their values: a rod is ten units long, and a flat is ten rods side by side. A magnetic version takes that proportional model onto the whiteboard, so the teacher can show every exchange at a size the back row can follow, whether or not students also have their own desk sets.

Regrouping is where a board demonstration helps most. For 47 + 38, the teacher builds both numbers, combines the ones to get fifteen units, trades ten of them for a rod and shows the result as 8 tens and 5 ones: 85. Subtraction such as 52 − 27 runs the other way. There are not enough units to take seven, so one rod is exchanged for ten units before subtracting. Writing the column method beside the pieces shows exactly where the small carried and borrowed digits come from.

With the flat redefined as 1, a rod becomes 0.1 and a unit 0.01, so the same pieces model decimals such as 1.35. That reuse helps students see decimal place value as the same system continued to the right of the point.

Specifications

Applications

• Building numbers up to the hundreds and reading them in expanded form
• Demonstrating the exchange of ten ones for a ten and ten tens for a hundred
• Showing regrouping in column addition and subtraction
• Modelling decimals by treating the flat as one whole

Care & Handling

• Store the pieces flat in sorted groups so they do not bend or cling together in a tangle.
• Clean the faces with a dry cloth; marker ink wipes off more easily before it dries.
• Keep the set away from radiators and direct sun.

Why Choose LabEquip

Primary maths teachers often want one board set for demonstration and hands-on sets for groups, such as the Base Ten Set Group Activity, so the board and the desks show the same moves. LabEquip lists both in its Mathematics School Lab Products range; send classroom numbers through the LabEquip contact page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why use magnetic base ten blocks instead of desk sets?

They serve a different purpose. Desk sets are for students to handle; the magnetic set lets the teacher demonstrate the same moves on the board where everyone can see. Many classrooms use both, with students copying the board demonstration at their desks.

How do the blocks show regrouping in addition?

Build both numbers, combine the pieces, and whenever there are ten or more units, trade ten of them for one rod. For 47 + 38 the units make 15, so ten are exchanged for a rod, giving 8 tens and 5 ones, which is 85.

How is borrowing in subtraction demonstrated?

For 52 – 27, build 52 as five rods and two units. Seven units cannot be removed from two, so one rod is exchanged for ten units, giving four rods and twelve units. Removing two rods and seven units leaves two rods and five units: 25.

Can the blocks be used for decimals?

Yes. Call the flat one whole; then a rod is one tenth and a unit is one hundredth. The number 1.35 is one flat, three rods and five units, and adding decimals uses the same exchanges as whole numbers.

Which pieces make up a base ten set?

The usual pieces are units for ones, rods worth ten and flats worth one hundred, sometimes with a large cube for one thousand. For the pieces and quantities in this magnetic set, confirm at enquiry.

At what level are base ten blocks used?

They are used from the early primary years, when children learn tens and ones, through the upper primary years for decimals and larger numbers. Older students who struggle with column methods also benefit from seeing the exchanges modelled again.

Last Updated: September 2026