Comparing numbers means deciding which of two numbers is greater, which is less, and when they are the same. On this worksheet your child looks at pairs of numbers and writes the sign that belongs between them: greater than, less than or equal to. The trick is to read the digits from the left, one place at a time, and stop at the first place where they differ; that place decides the answer, whatever the other digits are.
Building Confidence uses three-digit numbers. On Level uses four-digit numbers that differ in the thousands, hundreds, tens or ones. Challenge Me uses numbers that begin the same and numbers made of the same digits in a different order, such as 4,386 and 4,368. Putting four numbers in order is a separate worksheet that builds on this one.
What your child will learn
Compare two numbers to 10,000 digit by digit
Write the signs greater than (>), less than (<) and equal to (=)
Tell numbers made of the same digits apart
Common Core standard: 2.NBT.A.4, 3.NBT.A.1
Worked example
4,836 and 4,792 both have 4 thousands, so look at the hundreds: 8 is more than 7, so 4,836 > 4,792.
Common mistake
Comparing the last digits, or counting how many digits are bigger, instead of reading from the left.
Helpful hint
Start at the left. Find the first place where the digits are different.