Read one rod first
Add the active heaven bead, if any, to the active earth beads. The total is the digit on that rod.
Position gives a digit its value
Start at the chosen ones rod and read left. The next rod is tens, then hundreds, then thousands. A 4 on the hundreds rod means 400, not 4.
| Rod | Digit | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Hundreds | 4 | 400 |
| Tens | 2 | 20 |
| Ones | 7 | 7 |
| Complete number | 427 | |
Zeros still hold a place
A cleared rod reads zero, but it cannot be skipped between other digits. In 503, the tens rod is clear. That empty position is what separates 500 from 3.
For decimals, choose a marker as the decimal point. Rods to its right become tenths and hundredths. The same digit-reading rule still applies.