Expanded notation is the term given in elementary mathematics education for the expansion of a positive integer in the form , i.e., as a sum of appropriate powers of 10 (the base of the expansion) times its digits (in the case of base-10, decimal digits). For example, the number with decimal expansion 1234 would be written in expanded form as
Negative are also allowed in expanded notation of arbitrary (not necessarily integer) numbers, e.g.,
but such expansions usually not considered or deferred in elementary education contexts.