Which option shows decomposing a number into tens and ones?

• A. 46 equals 46.
• B. 46 equals 40 + 6.
• C. 46 equals 14 + 32.
• D. 46 equals 4 + 6.

Answer: (B)

Decomposing a number into tens and ones means expressing it as a sum of a multiple of ten and a single-digit amount. For 46, the tens part is 4 tens, which is 40, and the ones part is 6. So 46 = 40 + 6. This directly shows how place value works: the tens contribute 40, the ones contribute 6, and together they make 46.

That is why the representation using 40 + 6 is the best choice. The other forms don’t separate tens from ones in a way that reflects place value: 46 = 46 keeps the number whole, not showing the tens and ones; 46 = 14 + 32 splits it into two parts that don’t correspond to tens and ones; 46 = 4 + 6 uses the digits rather than the tens value, which misses the tens contribution.