We compare  numbers by determining whether one of the numbers is greater than, less than, or equal to the other number.  

The comparison symbols we use to do this are:

When using the greater than/ less than symbols the smaller end of the symbol (the "point") points to the smaller number.

Some comparisons are...

  -5 < 4                       -5 is less than 4

                   3 + 2 = 5                  3 plus 2 equals 5

                   5 > -6                        5 is greater than -6

                   5.5789 < 5.58        5.5789 is less than 5.58

Example:

Replace each "?" with the proper comparison symbol.

a)  3   ?   -4                  b)  2 x 2   ?   2 + 2

c)  3.4  ?  3.40           d)  0.09856  ?  0.09867

Solution:

a)  3 > -4                                  3 is greater than -4

b)  2 x 2 = 2 + 2                      2 x 2 is equal to 2 + 2 (4 = 4)

c)  3.4 = 3. 40                        3.4 is equal to 3.40 (the zero does not change 

                                                  the value of the number)

d)  0.09856 < 0.09867       0.09856 is less than 0.09867 (the 5 in the ten 

                                                  thousandths place is less than the 6 in the ten 

                                                  thousandths place)

To compare numbers we can use greater than, less than, or equal to signs (<, >, =). 

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