The ideas in this place value lesson are taken from the place value ebook that I sell at MathMammoth.com. Only a few examples of each problem type are shown; you should make more problems of each kind for the student.

Which number is greater?
Free place value lesson plan from Homeschoolmath.net

Which is more?  Circle the number that is more.

Study the above pictures.  Do we first compare how many TENS the numbers have or how many ONES the numbers have?

• Compare first how many ________ the numbers have.
• If the numbers have the same amount of _______, then compare the ________.

For example,

• 92 has more TENS than 89.  Therefore 92 is greater than 89.

• 62 has the same amount of TENS as 66, but it has less ONES than 66. Therefore 62 is less than 66.

The symbol  >  means "greater than", and  <  means "less than".
The open end or open mouth of the symbol ALWAYS points to the bigger number.

For example,

 
You can also use the number line for help.

Since 44 comes before 47 when you read the number line from left to right, 44 < 47.

Example problem types

1.  For each number, draw sticks to represent the tens and dots to represent the ones.  Then write either  <  or  >  in between the two numbers.  

2.  Find the numbers on the number line and write either  <  or  >. 

[number line available in the ebook]

3.  Write either  <  or  >  between the two numbers.  You can use the number line to help you in a.

[Number line available in the ebook]

4.  Put the numbers in order.

5.  Compare the expressions and write <, >, or = .

6.  What are these numbers?  All numbers are less than 100.

The ideas in this place value lesson are taken from the place value ebook that I sell at MathMammoth.com. Only a few examples of each problem type are shown; you should make more problems of each kind for the student.