Year 2: Comparing and ordering numbers
Part of the Year 2 place value to 100 chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Comparing and ordering numbers
We use signs to compare numbers. The sign < means less than.
The sign > means more than. The sign = means equal to.
Look at the tens first. More tens means a bigger number.
If the tens are the same, look at the ones.
Key ideas
- < means less than. The point faces the smaller number.
- > means more than. The open end faces the bigger number.
- = means equal to. Both numbers are the same.
- Look at the tens first, then the ones.
Key words. < means less than. > means more than. = means equal to.
Method. Compare the tens first. Only look at the ones if the tens are the same.
- Look at the tens of each number. The tens tell us the big part of each number.47: 4 tens 52: 5 tens
- Compare the tens. More tens means a bigger number.5 tens is more than 4 tens
- Write the sign. The point of the sign faces the smaller number.47 < 52
Check. Read it out loud: 47 is less than 52. ✓
Watch out. A number with more ones is not always bigger. Look at the tens first.
Key words. < means less than. > means more than. = means equal to.
Method. Compare the tens first. Only look at the ones if the tens are the same.
- Look at the tens of each number. The tens tell us the big part of each number.36: 3 tens 36: 3 tens
- The numbers are the same. Equal means the same amount.36 = 36
- Write the sign. Use the equals sign.36 = 36
Check. Read it out loud: 36 is equal to 36. ✓
Watch out. A number with more ones is not always bigger. Look at the tens first.
Key words. Smallest is the least. Biggest is the most.
Method. Compare the tens first, then the ones, and put the numbers in order.
- Look at the tens of each number. A number with fewer tens is smaller.63: 6 tens 36: 3 tens 90: 9 tens 58: 5 tens
- Put them in order, smallest first. Start with the smallest number, then the next one.36, 58, 63, 90
- Write the answer. 36, 58, 63, 90
Check. There are 4 numbers in the question and 4 in the answer. ✓
Watch out. Check you have not left a number out, and that each number is used once.
Watch out
Watch out: do not compare only the ones. 39 is less than 51, even though 9 is more than 1.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Write two numbers on cards. Ask your child to point to the bigger one. Then ask: “Which way does the sign point?”
Exercise 1E Comparing and ordering numbers
Non-calculatorKey words. Bigger means more. Smaller means less.
Method. Find the bigger number. Look at the tens first.
- Look at the tens of each number. The tens tell us the big part of each number.26: 2 tens 62: 6 tens
- Compare the tens. More tens means a bigger number.6 tens is more than 2 tens
- Write the answer. Bigger means more.62
Check. Put 26 and 62 in order to check. ✓
Watch out. Do not pick the number with the bigger ones digit. Look at the tens first.
Key words. < means less than. > means more than. = means equal to.
Method. Compare the tens first. Only look at the ones if the tens are the same.
- Look at the tens of each number. The tens tell us the big part of each number.70: 7 tens 67: 6 tens
- Compare the tens. More tens means a bigger number.7 tens is more than 6 tens
- Write the sign. The point of the sign faces the smaller number.70 > 67
Check. Read it out loud: 70 is more than 67. ✓
Watch out. A number with more ones is not always bigger. Look at the tens first.
Key words. < means less than. > means more than. = means equal to.
Method. Compare the tens first. Only look at the ones if the tens are the same.
- Look at the tens of each number. The tens tell us the big part of each number.25: 2 tens 52: 5 tens
- Compare the tens. More tens means a bigger number.5 tens is more than 2 tens
- Write the sign. The point of the sign faces the smaller number.25 < 52
Check. Read it out loud: 25 is less than 52. ✓
Watch out. A number with more ones is not always bigger. Look at the tens first.
Key words. < means less than. > means more than. = means equal to.
Method. Compare the tens first. Only look at the ones if the tens are the same.
- Look at the tens of each number. The tens tell us the big part of each number.40: 4 tens 40: 4 tens
- The numbers are the same. Equal means the same amount.40 = 40
- Write the sign. Use the equals sign.40 = 40
Check. Read it out loud: 40 is equal to 40. ✓
Watch out. A number with more ones is not always bigger. Look at the tens first.
Key words. Smallest is the least. Biggest is the most.
Method. Compare the tens first, then the ones, and put the numbers in order.
- Look at the tens of each number. A number with fewer tens is smaller.81: 8 tens 18: 1 ten 42: 4 tens
- Put them in order, smallest first. Start with the smallest number, then the next one.18, 42, 81
- Write the answer. 18, 42, 81
Check. There are 3 numbers in the question and 3 in the answer. ✓
Watch out. Check you have not left a number out, and that each number is used once.
Key words. Smallest is the least. Biggest is the most.
Method. Compare the tens first, then the ones, and put the numbers in order.
- Look at the tens of each number. A number with fewer tens is smaller.74: 7 tens 47: 4 tens 72: 7 tens 27: 2 tens
- Put them in order, biggest first. Start with the biggest number, then the next one.74, 72, 47, 27
- Write the answer. 74, 72, 47, 27
Check. There are 4 numbers in the question and 4 in the answer. ✓
Watch out. Check you have not left a number out, and that each number is used once.
Method. Look at the tens first. The biggest number has the most tens.
- Look at the tens of each number. Compare the tens first.58: 5 tens 85: 8 tens 52: 5 tens
- Find the biggest number. Look for the most tens, then the ones.85 is the biggest number
- Write the answer. 85
Check. Put the numbers in order to check. ✓
Watch out. Do not pick the number with the biggest ones digit. Look at the tens first.
Method. Look at the tens first. The smallest number has the fewest tens.
- Look at the tens of each number. Compare the tens first.31: 3 tens 29: 2 tens 60: 6 tens
- Find the smallest number. Look for the fewest tens, then the ones.29 is the smallest number
- Write the answer. 29
Check. Put the numbers in order to check. ✓
Watch out. Do not pick the number with the biggest ones digit. Look at the tens first.
Key words. < means less than. > means more than. = means equal to.
Method. Compare the tens first. Only look at the ones if the tens are the same.
- Look at the tens of each number. The tens tell us the big part of each number.19: 1 ten 91: 9 tens
- Compare the tens. More tens means a bigger number.9 tens is more than 1 ten
- Write the sign. The point of the sign faces the smaller number.19 < 91
Check. Read it out loud: 19 is less than 91. ✓
Watch out. A number with more ones is not always bigger. Look at the tens first.
Key words. < means less than. > means more than. = means equal to.
Method. Compare the tens first. Only look at the ones if the tens are the same.
- Look at the tens of each number. The tens tell us the big part of each number.55: 5 tens 50: 5 tens
- The tens are the same, so look at the ones. When the tens match, the ones decide.55: 5 ones 50: 0 ones
- Compare the ones. More ones means a bigger number.5 is more than 0
- Write the sign. The point of the sign faces the smaller number.55 > 50
Check. Read it out loud: 55 is more than 50. ✓
Watch out. A number with more ones is not always bigger. Look at the tens first.
Key words. < means less than. > means more than. = means equal to.
Method. Compare the tens first. Only look at the ones if the tens are the same.
- Look at the tens of each number. The tens tell us the big part of each number.28: 2 tens 82: 8 tens
- Compare the tens. More tens means a bigger number.8 tens is more than 2 tens
- Write the sign. The point of the sign faces the smaller number.28 < 82
Check. Read it out loud: 28 is less than 82. ✓
Watch out. A number with more ones is not always bigger. Look at the tens first.
Key words. Bigger means more. Smaller means less.
Method. Find the bigger number. Look at the tens first.
- Look at the tens of each number. The tens tell us the big part of each number.52: 5 tens 47: 4 tens
- Compare the tens. More tens means a bigger number.5 tens is more than 4 tens
- Write the answer. Bigger means more.Mei
Check. Put 52 and 47 in order to check. ✓
Watch out. Do not pick the number with the bigger ones digit. Look at the tens first.
Key words. Bigger means more. Smaller means less.
Method. Find the bigger number. Look at the tens first.
- Look at the tens of each number. The tens tell us the big part of each number.25: 2 tens 9: 0 tens
- Compare the tens. More tens means a bigger number.2 tens is more than 0 tens
- Write the answer. Bigger means more.25
Check. Put 25 and 9 in order to check. ✓
Watch out. Do not pick the number with the bigger ones digit. Look at the tens first.
Key words. Smallest is the least. Biggest is the most.
Method. Compare the tens first, then the ones, and put the numbers in order.
- Look at the tens of each number. A number with fewer tens is smaller.34: 3 tens 43: 4 tens 39: 3 tens 30: 3 tens
- Put them in order, smallest first. Start with the smallest number, then the next one.30, 34, 39, 43
- Write the answer. 30, 34, 39, 43
Check. There are 4 numbers in the question and 4 in the answer. ✓
Watch out. Check you have not left a number out, and that each number is used once.