Comparing Numbers
When comparing numbers, we are determining the relationship between two or more numbers. We use comparison symbols to show how numbers relate to each other.
Comparison Symbols
There are several comparison symbols used to compare numbers:
- Greater Than (>): This symbol is used to show that one number is larger than another. For example, 5 > 3 means 5 is greater than 3.
- Less Than (<): This symbol is used to show that one number is smaller than another. For example, 2 < 4 means 2 is less than 4.
- Equal To (=): This symbol is used to show that two numbers are the same. For example, 6 = 6 means 6 is equal to 6.
- Greater Than or Equal To (≥): This symbol is used to show that one number is larger than or equal to another. For example, 5 ≥ 4 means 5 is greater than or equal to 4.
- Less Than or Equal To (≤): This symbol is used to show that one number is smaller than or equal to another. For example, 3 ≤ 3 means 3 is less than or equal to 3.
Comparing Numbers Example
Let's compare the numbers 8 and 12 using the comparison symbols:
8 < 12 (8 is less than 12)
8 ≤ 12 (8 is less than or equal to 12)
8 ≠ 12 (8 is not equal to 12)
12 > 8 (12 is greater than 8)
12 ≥ 8 (12 is greater than or equal to 8)
.◂Math Worksheets and Study Guides Second Grade. Comparing Numbers
Study Guide
Comparing Numbers 
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Comparing Numbers Worksheet/Answer key
Comparing Numbers Worksheet/Answer key
Comparing Numbers Worksheet/Answer key
Whole Numbers Vocabulary/Answer key
Comparing Numbers Vocabulary/Answer key
Comparing Numbers
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The resources above cover the following skills:
Number and Operations (NCTM)
Understand numbers, ways of representing numbers, relationships among numbers, and number systems.
Develop understanding of the relative position and magnitude of whole numbers and of ordinal and cardinal numbers and their connections.
Connect number words and numerals to the quantities they represent, using various physical models and representations.
Grade 2 Curriculum Focal Points (NCTM)
Number and Operations: Developing an understanding of the base-ten numeration system and place-value concepts
Children develop an understanding of the base-ten numeration system and place-value concepts (at least to 1000). Their understanding of base-ten numeration includes ideas of counting in units and multiples of hundreds, tens, and ones, as well as a grasp of number relationships, which they demonstrate in a variety of ways, including comparing and ordering numbers. They understand multi-digit numbers in terms of place value, recognizing that place-value notation is a shorthand for the sums of multiples of powers of 10 (e.g., 853 as 8 hundreds + 5 tens + 3 ones).
Connections to the Grade 2 Focal Points (NCTM)
Number and Operations: Children use place value and properties of operations to create equivalent representations of given numbers (such as 35 represented by 35 ones, 3 tens and 5 ones, or 2 tens and 15 ones) and to write, compare, and order multi-digit numbers. They use these ideas to compose and decompose multi-digit numbers. Children add and subtract to solve a variety of problems, including applications involving measurement, geometry, and data, as well as nonroutine problems. In preparation for grade 3, they solve problems involving multiplicative situations, developing initial understandings of multiplication as repeated addition.