Greater than and Less than Symbols

To learn greater than and less than symbols its important to recall that every number on a number ray is greater than each number on its left and less than each number on its right.

The symbol ">" means "greater than" and the symbol "<" means "less than".

Greater than Less than and Equal to Video

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For example using "greater than" and "less than":

5 > 0,                    

5 > 1,                    

5 > 2,                     

5 > 3,                     

5 > 4

5 < 6                      

5 < 7                      

5 < 8                      

5 < 9                      

5 < 10

Greater than (>):

Juliet is older than John. So 9 is three more than 6. 9 is greater than 6.

The sign for greater than is >.

● Put the sign in the blank spaces. One has done for you.

Less than (>):

John is younger than Juliet. So 6 is three less than 9. 6 is less than 9.

The sign for greater than is <.

● Put the sign in the blank spaces. One has done for you.

Rules to compare the numbers:

1. The more the number of digits, the greater is the number.

2. If two numbers have the same number of digits, look for the left hand side numbers. The number with the bigger digit on the left hand side is greater.

3. If the two left most digits are the same then compare the next digit to the right and continue in this manner.

Example: 

The smallest 2 digit number 10 appeared just after the greatest 1 digit number 9. So every 2 digit number is greater than every 1 digit number.

Thus every 3 digit number is greater than every 3 digit number.

Example to identify greater than & less than symbols:

38 > 21 since 3 > 2 (left most digits are 3 and 2)

25 > 15 since 2 >1 (left most digits are 2 and 1)

45 < 51 since 4 < 5 (left most digits are 4 and 5)

33 < 47 since 3 < 4 (left most digits are 3 and 4)

21 < 23 since 2 = 2 and 1 < 3 [next (second ) digits from left are 1 and 3]

64 > 60 since 6 = 6 and 4 > 0 [next (second ) digits from left are 4 and 0]

Worksheet on Greater than and Less than Symbols

Greater than and Less than Symbols Video

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Questions and Answers on Greater than and Less than Symbols:

1. Insert > or < sign.

Note: The symbol for greater than is '>' and for smaller than is '<'.

Answer:

1. (ii) <

(iii) >

(iv) >

(v) >

(vi) <

(vii) <

(viii) <

(ix) >

(x) <

(xi) <

(xii) >

(xiii) <

(xiv) >

(xv) >

2. Compare the following pairs of numbers and insert > or < sign:

Answer:

2. (ii) 86 > 79 or 79 < 86

(iii) 76 > 59 or 59 < 76

(iv) 16 > 14 or 14 < 16

(v) 83 > 28 or 28 < 83

(vi)  90 > 50 or 50 < 90

(vii) 83 > 72 or 72 < 83

(viii) 45 > 36 or 36 < 45

(ix) 58 > 28 or 28 < 58

(x) 89 > 62 or 62 < 89

2nd Grade Math Practice

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