Ordering and Comparing Numbers Topic

Ordering and Comparing Numbers

Mathematics, Grade 3

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Study Guide Ordering and Comparing Numbers Mathematics, Grade 3

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ORDERING AND COMPARING NUMBERS What Is Ordering and Comparing Numbers? • When you order numbers, you are putting the numbers in a sequence from the smallest value to the largest value. • When you compare two numbers, you are finding which number is larger or smaller than the other. Sometimes the two numbers may be equal to each other. The following symbols are used when comparing two numbers. < less than > greater than = equal to Hint: A way to remember which way the < and > symbols should face is to think of them as alligator mouths. The alligator always eats the larger number. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.

How to Order Numbers: • To put numbers in the proper order, you can start by looking at the number of digits each number has. The fewer the digits, the smaller the value. For example: In the following numbers, the number 8 is the only number with one digit. This means the number 8 has the lowest value, so it would come first when putting these numbers in order. 42 8 13 47 25 _8_ ___ • Since the rest of the numbers all have two digits, you can look at the digit in the tens place next. If the digit in the tens place is the lowest of the bunch, it will go next. _8 13_ _______ • Then continue with the rest of the numbers. _8 13 25 42 47 • If there are two numbers with the same digit in the tens place, you will need to look at the digit in the ones place to see which number is smaller. © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.

How to Compare Numbers • In order to compare two numbers, you will look at the numbers in a way similar to ordering them. First, look how many digits there are in the numbers. If one number has more digits than the other, it is the larger of the two. For example: Compare: 25 and 138 Since the number 138 has three digits and the number 25 only has two, this means 138 is the larger number. Therefore, 25 is less than 138 or 25 < 138. • If both numbers have the same amount of digits, you will need to look at the digit in the tens place. If they are the same, move on to the ones place. Compare: 46 and 41 Both of these numbers are made up of two digits and they both have a four in the tens place. This means you should look at the ones place. Since the first number has a six in the ones place and the other has a one, 46 is the larger number. Therefore, 46 is greater than 41 or 46 > 41. Try This! Put these numbers in order from least to greatest. 42 3 15 26 9 ____________________________________ 14 36 75 8 2 ____________________________________ Compare. 46 _____ 87 75 _____ 34 13 _____ 22 © Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved. Permission is granted for the purchaser to print copies for non-commercial educational purposes only. Visit us at www.NewPathLearning.com.