Step-by-step Maths Level 4: Comparing two numbers
Part of the Step-by-step Maths Level 4 comparing, ordering and rounding chapter. Chapter overview · whole chapter on one page
Comparing two numbers
Compare the thousands first. If they are the same, compare the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
The sign < means less than, > means greater than, and = means equal. The arrow points to the smaller number.
Key ideas
- Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, tens and ones.
- The arrow points to the smaller number.
- < is less than, > is greater than, = is equal to.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. They are both 4.4 and 4 are equal
- Compare the hundreds. The first column that is different decides the order.8 and 7: 8 is more
- Write the sign between the numbers. The bigger number is on the left, so the sign is >.>
Check. Check: 4825 is greater than 4752.
Watch out. Start with the thousands, not with the last digits.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands and the hundreds. They are the same: 3 thousands and 0 hundreds.3 and 3, then 0 and 0
- Compare the tens. The first column that is different decides the order.6 and 9: 6 is less
- Write the sign between the numbers. The smaller number is on the left, so the sign is <.<
Check. Check: 3069 is less than 3096.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number.
Method. Compare each column in turn; if all are equal, the numbers are equal.
- Compare the thousands, hundreds, tens and ones. Each column has the same digit.6 and 6, 5 and 5, 0 and 0, 0 and 0
- All four columns are equal. The two numbers are the same.6500 = 6500
- Write the sign. Equal numbers use the equals sign.=
Check. Check: 6500 and 6500 are the same number.
Watch out. Equal numbers have the same digits in the same places.
Watch out
Watch out. 4825 is greater than 4752, because 8 hundreds is more than 7 hundreds. Do not compare the last digits first.
Exam tip
Grown-up tip. Ask the child to read the sign aloud as a sentence: “4825 is greater than 4752.”
Exercise 2A Practice: comparing numbers
Non-calculatorMethod. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. They are the same, so look at the next column.9 and 9 are equal
- Compare the hundreds. The first column that is different decides the order.1 and 5: 1 is less
- Write the sign between the numbers. The sign points to the smaller number.<
Check. Check: read the sign as words. 9124 is less than 9524.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number. Compare the thousands first, not the last digits.
Method. The first column that is different decides which number is greater.
- Compare the thousands. Look at the first digit on the left.8 and 5
- Compare the thousands. This is the first column that is different.8 and 5
- Write the greater number. The larger digit makes the larger number.8453
Check. Check: 8453 > 5629.
Watch out. Do not compare the last digits first.
Method. The first column that is different decides which number is greater.
- Compare the thousands. Look at the first digit on the left.6 and 6
- Compare the hundreds. This is the first column that is different.9 and 7
- Write the greater number. The larger digit makes the larger number.6948
Check. Check: 6948 > 6745.
Watch out. Do not compare the last digits first.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. They are the same, so look at the next column.2 and 2 are equal
- Compare the hundreds. The first column that is different decides the order.9 and 4: 9 is more
- Write the sign between the numbers. The sign points to the smaller number.>
Check. Check: read the sign as words. 2976 is greater than 2476.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number. Compare the thousands first, not the last digits.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. They are the same, so look at the next column.8 and 8 are equal
- Compare the hundreds. They are the same, so look at the next column.8 and 8 are equal
- Compare the tens. They are the same, so look at the next column.1 and 1 are equal
- Compare the ones. The first column that is different decides the order.2 and 6: 2 is less
- Write the sign between the numbers. The sign points to the smaller number.<
Check. Check: read the sign as words. 8812 is less than 8816.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number. Compare the thousands first, not the last digits.
Method. The first column that is different decides which number is greater.
- Compare the thousands. Look at the first digit on the left.8 and 4
- Compare the thousands. This is the first column that is different.8 and 4
- Write the greater number. The larger digit makes the larger number.8641
Check. Check: 8641 > 4653.
Watch out. Do not compare the last digits first.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. The first column that is different decides the order.6 and 1: 6 is more
- Write the sign between the numbers. The sign points to the smaller number.>
Check. Check: read the sign as words. 6889 is greater than 1517.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number. Compare the thousands first, not the last digits.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. They are the same, so look at the next column.7 and 7 are equal
- Compare the hundreds. They are the same, so look at the next column.9 and 9 are equal
- Compare the tens. The first column that is different decides the order.6 and 1: 6 is more
- Write the sign between the numbers. The sign points to the smaller number.>
Check. Check: read the sign as words. 7968 is greater than 7918.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number. Compare the thousands first, not the last digits.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. They are the same, so look at the next column.2 and 2 are equal
- Compare the hundreds. The first column that is different decides the order.8 and 9: 8 is less
- Write the sign between the numbers. The sign points to the smaller number.<
Check. Check: read the sign as words. 2833 is less than 2933.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number. Compare the thousands first, not the last digits.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. The first column that is different decides the order.2 and 8: 2 is less
- Write the sign between the numbers. The sign points to the smaller number.<
Check. Check: read the sign as words. 2248 is less than 8440.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number. Compare the thousands first, not the last digits.
Method. The first column that is different decides which number is greater.
- Compare the thousands. Look at the first digit on the left.8 and 5
- Compare the thousands. This is the first column that is different.8 and 5
- Write the greater number. The larger digit makes the larger number.8486
Check. Check: 8486 > 5490.
Watch out. Do not compare the last digits first.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. They are the same, so look at the next column.3 and 3 are equal
- Compare the hundreds. The first column that is different decides the order.8 and 7: 8 is more
- Write the sign between the numbers. The sign points to the smaller number.>
Check. Check: read the sign as words. 3821 is greater than 3721.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number. Compare the thousands first, not the last digits.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. The first column that is different decides the order.5 and 2: 5 is more
- Write the sign between the numbers. The sign points to the smaller number.>
Check. Check: read the sign as words. 5954 is greater than 2185.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number. Compare the thousands first, not the last digits.
Method. The first column that is different decides which number is greater.
- Compare the thousands. Look at the first digit on the left.2 and 6
- Compare the thousands. This is the first column that is different.2 and 6
- Write the greater number. The larger digit makes the larger number.6267
Check. Check: 6267 > 2245.
Watch out. Do not compare the last digits first.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. They are the same, so look at the next column.2 and 2 are equal
- Compare the hundreds. They are the same, so look at the next column.3 and 3 are equal
- Compare the tens. They are the same, so look at the next column.3 and 3 are equal
- Compare the ones. They are the same, so look at the next column.3 and 3 are equal
- All four columns are equal. The two numbers have the same digits.2333 = 2333
- Write the sign between the numbers. The sign points to the smaller number.=
Check. Check: read the sign as words. 2333 is equal to 2333.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number. Compare the thousands first, not the last digits.
Method. Compare the thousands first, then the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones.
- Compare the thousands. The first column that is different decides the order.2 and 6: 2 is less
- Write the sign between the numbers. The sign points to the smaller number.<
Check. Check: read the sign as words. 2674 is less than 6745.
Watch out. The arrow always points to the smaller number. Compare the thousands first, not the last digits.