Worked examples
Five small puzzles, solved together. Read slowly and try each before peeking.
Example 1 — both numbers under 10
Compare 4 and 8. Which sign goes between them?
4 < 8
Why? On the number line, 4 is to the left of 8. The crocodile faces the bigger number — the 8.
Example 2 — one number is under 10, one is over
Compare 9 and 11. Which is bigger?
9 < 11
11 has a full ten plus one more, while 9 doesn't even reach ten. So 11 wins.
Example 3 — both numbers are between 10 and 20
Compare 14 and 17.
Both have one ten, so look at the ones digit.
4 < 7, so 14 < 17.
Example 4 — the same number twice
Compare 13 and 13.
13 = 13
Two equal piles. We use the equals sign.
Example 5 — the boundary numbers
Compare 19 and 20.
19 < 20
20 has two full tens; 19 has one ten plus nine more. Almost the same, but not quite.
Want more practice
- Try Comparing numbers on the "Up to 20" level.
- Try Order numbers to put a row of numbers in the right order.