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Step-by-step practice: Maths · Level 2Chapter 3 · Comparing and ordering to 100
Step-by-step Maths Level 2 · Comparing and ordering to 100 · Lesson 3.1

Step-by-step Maths Level 2: Greater than, less than and equal to

Part of the Step-by-step Maths Level 2 comparing and ordering to 100 chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page

3.1

Greater than, less than and equal to

Level 2
Compare two numbers up to 100 with the signs <, > and =

The sign < means less than. The sign > means greater than.

The sign = means the two numbers are the same. The open end of the sign faces the bigger number.

Key ideas

  • < means less than, > means greater than, = means equal to.
  • Compare the tens first.
  • If the tens are the same, compare the ones.
Worked example 3.1.1
Write <, > or = to make it true: 38 □ 52

Method. Compare the tens first. If the tens are the same, compare the ones.

  1. Compare the tens digits. The tens digit is worth the most.
    3 and 5
  2. Tens are different, so the tens decide. 3 tens is fewer than 5 tens.
    3 tens and 5 tens
  3. Write the sign. 38 is less than 52.
    <

Check. 38 < 52 is true.

Watch out. Compare tens first. 61 is greater than 58, because 6 tens is more than 5 tens.

Worked example 3.1.2
Write <, > or = to make it true: 74 □ 67

Method. Compare the tens first. If the tens are the same, compare the ones.

  1. Compare the tens digits. The tens digit is worth the most.
    7 and 6
  2. Tens are different, so the tens decide. 7 tens is more than 6 tens.
    7 tens and 6 tens
  3. Write the sign. 74 is greater than 67.
    >

Check. 74 > 67 is true.

Watch out. Compare tens first. 61 is greater than 58, because 6 tens is more than 5 tens.

Worked example 3.1.3
Write <, > or = to make it true: 45 □ 45

Method. Compare the tens first. If the tens are the same, compare the ones.

  1. Compare the tens digits. The tens digit is worth the most.
    4 and 4
  2. Tens are the same, so compare the ones. Both numbers have the same ones too.
    5 and 5
  3. Write the sign. 45 is equal to 45.
    =

Check. 45 = 45 is true.

Watch out. Compare tens first. 61 is greater than 58, because 6 tens is more than 5 tens.

Watch out

Watch out. Point the open end at the bigger number, like a mouth that wants the bigger one.

Exam tip

Grown-up tip. Write two numbers on cards. Hold them up and ask: “Which is bigger?” before you write the sign.

Exercise 3A  Practice: comparing numbers

Non-calculator
1
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 63 □ 63
2
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 74 □ 44
3
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 56 □ 37
4
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 85 □ 56
5
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 14 □ 67
6
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 74 □ 12
7
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 81 □ 72
8
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 56 □ 18
9
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 64 □ 82
10
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 83 □ 79
11
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 72 □ 40
12
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 10 □ 69
13
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 30 □ 74
14
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 97 □ 74
15
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 10 □ 38
16
FWrite <, > or = to make it true: 55 □ 29

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