You met these symbols in Grade 1. They work exactly the same with bigger numbers.
Step 1: Let's Learn
Read it, or press Listen and follow the words.
The three symbols
Greater than is >. Less than is <. Equal to is =.
Read the whole sentence
Say "486 is less than 512" out loud. If it sounds wrong, it probably is.
Once you can compare two, you can put three in order from smallest to largest.
What the three symbols say
The symbol > means "is greater than", < means "is less than", and = means "is equal to". A comparison with a symbol is a sentence you can read aloud: 439 > 428 reads "439 is greater than 428".
Which way round it goes
The wide open end always faces the bigger number and the point faces the smaller one. Some people picture a hungry mouth eating the larger amount. Whatever memory trick you use, always read your finished sentence aloud to check it says something true.
Every comparison can be written twice
439 > 428 and 428 < 439 say exactly the same thing. Swapping the numbers means flipping the symbol. If you swap one without the other you have written something false, so change both together or neither.
Step 2: Try It Yourself
Tap and try it out.
Left
Right
375 is less than 428.
Step 3: Watch an Example
One step at a time.
Watch Leo Write It Down
Leo compares 375 and 428.
- Step 1
He counts the flats: 3 against 4.
Step 4: Your Turn
Practice makes it stick.
Making It True
Problem 1 of 2
Which symbol makes this true: 640 ? 640
Putting Them in Order
Problem 2 of 2
Which is the smallest: 512, 481, or 508?
Choose the Symbol
1 of 3
Which symbol makes this true: 289 ? 305
2 of 3
Which symbol makes this true: 736 ? 729
3 of 3
Which is largest: 390, 309, or 399?
Step 5: Quick Check
Show what you know.
Question 1 of 2
Which symbol makes this true: 415 ? 451
Question 2 of 2
Which is the smallest: 620, 602, or 260?
What You Learned
- > means greater than, < means less than, = means equal to.
- Compare the numbers first, then pick the symbol.
- Read the whole sentence to check it.