Comparing numbers

key notes :

✅ Learning Objective:

Students will learn how to compare two or more numbers using symbols like:

• Greater than ( > )
• Less than ( < )
• Equal to ( = )

---

🔢 Key Concepts:

Place Value Helps Compare Numbers:

• First compare the number of digits.
• If the numbers have the same number of digits, compare the place values (start from the left).

Example:

• 453 and 672 → Compare hundreds: 4 < 6 → So, 453 < 672

Comparison Symbols:

• > means greater than
  Example: 89 > 45
• < means less than
  Example: 23 < 78
• = means equal to
  Example: 99 = 99

---

🧠 Tips to Remember:

• Think of the greater than ( > ) symbol as a crocodile mouth:
  👉 The crocodile always eats the bigger number! Example:
  78 ___ 45 → 78 is greater, so the crocodile eats 78 → 78 > 45
• Line up digits by place value (hundreds, tens, ones) when comparing.

---

✏️ Examples:

Number 1	Number 2	Symbol	Comparison
325	512	<	325 < 512
740	407	>	740 > 407
999	999	=	999 = 999
870	8700	<	870 < 8700

---

🧩 Practice Time: Fill in the blanks with >, <, or =

1. 426 ___ 412
2. 999 ___ 1000
3. 678 ___ 678
4. 53 ___ 35
5. 8,123 ___ 8,213

---

📊 Using Number Line (Optional Visual):

A number line helps to see which number is larger.
👉 Numbers to the right are greater
👉 Numbers to the left are smaller

---

📎 Key Vocabulary:

• Compare – to look at two numbers to see which is bigger or smaller
• Greater than ( > )
• Less than ( < )
• Equal to ( = )
• Place value

Learn with an example

Let’s practice!