We use symbols to compare numbers.
What symbol would you use to compare the numbers below?
8,314 ? 899
A 4-digit whole number is automatically greater than a 3-digit whole number because thousands are greater than hundreds.
If the whole numbers both have 4 digits, compare the numbers in the thousands place.
What symbol would you use to compare the numbers below?
6,899 ? 7,288
6 thousands will always be less than 7 thousands, no matter what the other digits in the numbers are.
If the whole numbers both have 4 digits, and the digit in the thousands place is the same, compare the digits in the hundreds place.
What symbol would you use to compare the numbers below?
4,032 ? 4,111
Both whole numbers have 4 thousands. 4,111 has 1 hundred and 4,032 has no hundreds, so 4,032 is less.
If both whole numbers have 4 digits, and the digits in the thousands and hundreds places are the same, compare the digits in the tens place.
What symbol would you use to compare the numbers below?
6,882 ? 6,822
Both whole numbers have 6 thousands and 8 hundreds, so that part is equal. Looking at the tens, 8 tens is greater than 2 tens.
If 2 whole numbers have the same digits in the thousands, hundreds, and tens places, it is time to compare the digits in the ones place.
What symbol would you use to compare the numbers below?
1,013 ? 1,014
Both whole numbers have 1 thousand, 0 hundreds, and 1 ten. “3 ones is less than 4 ones” is the final comparison.
Here’s a summary on how to compare 4-digit whole numbers:
- Look at the number of digits in each number. Less digits = less than: 456 < 1,023
- Look at the digits in the thousands place. The larger digit is greater than: 4,560 > 3,605
- If the digits in the thousands place are the same, compare the digits in the hundreds place: 5,856 > 5,465
- If the digits in the thousands and hundreds place are the same, compare the digits in the tens place: 5,856 < 5,865
- If the digits in the thousands, hundreds, and tens are the same, compare the digits in the ones place: 5,856 > 5,855
Practice Problems
Compare the numbers:
584 __ 1,000
Compare the numbers:
5,844 __ 5,843
Compare the numbers:
72,418 __ 72,351
