Cogito
Grade 4 Math · Chapter 1 · Lesson 3
Comparing Large Numbers
Start at the left and find the first difference.
10 problems · about 13 minutes · 4.NBT.A.2
What this lesson teaches
The child compares multi-digit numbers using >, <, and =.
- More digits means a bigger number.
- Otherwise compare from the left.
- The first place where they differ decides it.
Warm-Up Review
From earlier lessons. Loosen up before the new work.
3 problemsReview — Reading and Writing Large Numbers: 60,000 + 700 + 8 in digits?
Answer 60708
Why 60,708.
Review — Ten Times Bigger: In 6,283, what is the 2 worth?
Answer 200
Why It is in the hundreds place, so it is worth 200.
Review — Reading and Writing Large Numbers: What does a comma do in a large number?
Answer It groups the digits in threes.
Why Commas split a number into periods of three.
Warm Up
Straightforward practice. Get the method working first.
3 problemsWhich is bigger, 32,450 or 32,405?
Answer 32450
Why 5 tens beats 0 tens.
Where do you start comparing?
Answer At the left, with the biggest place.
Why The leftmost difference settles the comparison.
Which is bigger, 54,321 or 54,231?
Answer 54321
Why Compare the hundreds.
Build It Up
The same ideas with more to keep track of.
1 problemWhich is bigger, 8,999 or 9,100?
Answer 9100
Why Compare the thousands.
Stretch Yourself
Mixed problems. Work out what kind of question it is before you start.
3 problemsWhich is bigger, 70,000 or 69,999?
Answer 70000
Why Compare the ten thousands.
Two Cities: One town has 23,481 people and another has 23,900. Which number is bigger: 23,481 or 23,900?
Answer 23900
Why 9 hundreds beats 4 hundreds.
Counting Digits: Which is bigger, 9,999 or 10,000?
Answer 10000
Why Five digits beats four digits.