Comparing Numbers

🎯 What You'll Learn

You will learn to compare two numbers and say which one is bigger (greater) and which one is smaller (less).

🏪 Market Story

Funke and Chidi are at the market with their mother. Funke finds tomatoes for ₦45 at one stall, and Chidi finds the same tomatoes for ₦38 at another stall. Their mother asks, "Which price is smaller?" Chidi says, "₦38 is smaller than ₦45, so let's buy from my stall!" Their mother smiles — Chidi is right!

📝 Let's Learn

To compare numbers, we use these symbols:

• > means "is greater than" (bigger). Example: 45 > 38
• < means "is less than" (smaller). Example: 38 < 45
• = means "is equal to" (the same). Example: 50 = 50

Tip: The symbol always "eats" the bigger number. Think of it as a hungry crocodile that always opens its mouth toward the bigger number!

Example 1: Compare 67 and 52. Look at the tens first: 6 tens > 5 tens. So 67 > 52.

Example 2: Compare 34 and 37. The tens are the same (both 3). Look at the ones: 4 < 7. So 34 < 37.

Example 3: Compare 120 and 89. 120 has hundreds, 89 doesn't. More digits = bigger number. So 120 > 89.

✏️ Practice Questions

1. Which is bigger: ₦75 or ₦57?
2. Put the correct symbol (>, <, or =): 43 ___ 43
3. Amina has ₦200 and Tunde has ₦185. Who has more money?

Click to see answers

1. ₦75 is bigger. 7 tens is more than 5 tens, so 75 > 57.
2. 43 = 43. They are the same number.
3. Amina has more money. ₦200 > ₦185 because 2 hundreds > 1 hundred.

💡 Remember

To compare numbers, start by looking at the biggest place value first (hundreds, then tens, then ones). The number with the bigger digit in the highest place is the greater number.