Compare numbers

key notes :

📘 Learning Objective:
  • To compare whole numbers and decimals using >, <, = symbols.
  • To arrange numbers in ascending and descending order.
🔑 Key Concepts:
1️⃣ Understanding Place Value

Compare digits starting from the leftmost place (highest value).

For example:

  • Compare 7,325 and 7,215
  • → Compare thousands: 7 = 7
  • → Compare hundreds: 3 > 2
  • ✅ So, 7,325 > 7,215
2️⃣ Symbols Used to Compare:
  • > means greater than
    ➤ 8,500 > 7,900
  • < means less than
    ➤ 6,412 < 6,421
  • = means equal to
    ➤ 12,345 = 12,345
3️⃣ Steps to Compare Numbers:
  1. Count digits in each number.
    → The number with more digits is greater.
  2. If equal digits, compare place by place from left to right.
  3. Use symbols to write the comparison.
4️⃣ Comparing Decimal Numbers:
  • Compare whole number part first.
  • If same, compare tenths, then hundredths, etc.

Example:
➤ Compare 4.56 and 4.65

  • 4 = 4 → check tenths
  • 5 < 6 → So, 4.56 < 4.65
🔢 Examples:
  1. Compare: 3,492 ___ 3,429
    → 3,492 > 3,429
  2. Compare: 7.23 ___ 7.2
    → 7.23 > 7.2 (because 23 hundredths > 20 hundredths)
📝 Practice Time:

Fill in the blanks with <, >, or =:

  1. 56,789 ___ 65,789
  2. 8,004 ___ 8,040
  3. 3.2 ___ 3.20
  4. 9,100 ___ 9,099
🧠 Remember:
  • Always begin comparing from the leftmost digit.
  • Zeros after a decimal don’t change the value (e.g., 4.50 = 4.5).

Learn with an example

Which words make this statement true?

4,672 ____ 90,243.

  • is greater than
  • is less than
  • is equal to

First, count the number of digits in each number. There are 4 digits in 4,672 and 5 digits in 90,243. The number with fewer digits is always less.

4,672 is less than 90,243.

Which words make this statement true?

52,092 ____ 52,292.

  • is greater than
  • is less than
  • is equal to

First, count the number of digits in each number. There are 5 digits in each number. They have the same number of digits.

Compare the ten thousands digits. The ten thousands digit in 52,092 is 5. The ten thousands digit in 52,292 is 5. They have the same ten thousands digit.

Now compare the thousands digits. The thousands digit in 52,092 is 2. The thousands digit in 52,292 is 2. They have the same thousands digit.

Now compare the hundreds digits. The hundreds digit in 52,092 is 0. The hundreds digit in 52,292 is 2. 0 is less than 2.

52,092 is less than 52,292.

Which words make this statement true?

98,334 ____ 98,334.

  • is greater than
  • is less than
  • is equal to

The number 98,334 is on both sides. Both sides are equal.

98,334 is equal to 98,334.

Let’s practice!