Learn the idea
Compare whole-number parts first. If they match, compare tenths, then hundredths, then thousandths. Trailing zeros let you line up places without changing the value.
- Align the decimal points.
- Add trailing zeros if helpful.
- Compare from left to right and stop at the first unequal place.
LET’S WORK IT OUT
Worked example
Compare 0.6 and 0.58.
0.6 > 0.58
Write 0.6 as 0.60. Six tenths is more than five tenths, so 0.60 is greater.
A mistake to watch for
More decimal digits do not automatically mean a larger number.
Helpful skills to know first
YOUR TURN
Try three practice questions
Enter your answer, then check the explanation. You can also open each explanation to study it. These three questions check understanding; they are not a mastery score.
Question 1
Enter <, >, or =: 0.45 ? 0.5
Answer and explanation
< — Write 0.5 as 0.50. Forty-five hundredths is less than fifty.
Question 2
Enter <, >, or =: 1.230 ? 1.23
Answer and explanation
= — A trailing zero does not change the value.
Question 3
Enter <, >, or =: 2.305 ? 2.299
Answer and explanation
> — Three tenths is greater than two tenths; later digits do not reverse that comparison.
For parents and teachers
Use a hundred-grid to compare 60 shaded squares with 58.
Ask your learner to explain the method before moving on. This lesson covers one focused skill and is not a complete curriculum assessment.