WorksheetsAbout this worksheet
Two numbers stand side by side with an empty box between them. The child writes > (greater than), < (less than) or = (equal to). Many pairs are made close to each other on purpose, like 4,318 and 4,381, because those are the ones that need real attention to place value.
What this skill is
Comparing means deciding which of two numbers is bigger, or whether they are equal, and writing it with a sign: > for "is greater than", < for "is less than" and = for "is equal to". It tests place value more than anything else. A child who compares 4,712 and 4,721 correctly has understood that a digit's place decides its worth.
A worked example
Compare 4,721 and 4,712.
- Count the digits. Both have four, so that does not settle it.
- Thousands: 4 and 4. The same.
- Hundreds: 7 and 7. The same.
- Tens: 2 and 1. Here they differ, and 2 is more than 1.
So 4,721 > 4,712. The ones digits do not matter once a bigger place has decided.
When the digit counts differ, the longer whole number wins at once: 987 < 1,002.
Tips for parents and teachers
- The open side of the sign faces the bigger number. Many teachers call it the mouth that eats the bigger number.
- For big numbers, compare from the left: first the number of digits, then the leftmost digit, then the next.
- Read the finished line aloud: "four hundred twelve is less than four hundred twenty-one".
How to use this sheet at home and in class
- At home: begin with 1 and 2 digit numbers and let the child say the sentence aloud before writing the sign.
- In class: after the sheet, call out two numbers and let children show the sign with their arms. It wakes up a sleepy period and shows you who is unsure.
- For older children choose 4 or 5 digit numbers. The sheet then becomes place value practice in the Indian system.
Mistakes to watch for
- Writing the sign the wrong way round although the child knows which number is bigger. The open side always faces the bigger number.
- Judging by the first digit alone, so that 98 looks bigger than 102. Count the digits first.
- Judging by the last digit, or by the biggest digit anywhere, so that 419 looks bigger than 421 because of the 9. Compare from the left, place by place.
What to try next
- Place value worksheets: the idea behind comparing.
- Rounding numbers worksheets: which ten or hundred is nearer.
- Fractions worksheets: comparing fractions, for classes 4 to 6.