Lesson 2: Comparing and Ordering Numbers
Getting Started
You already know how to use the > and < symbols to compare numbers. During this lesson, you're going to practice comparing and ordering big numbers. Be sure to look at the numbers carefully, and use what you know about place value to answer questions and solve problems.
Stuff You Need
- 3-hole drilled card stock (kit)
- colored pencils
- Interactive Notebook
- number cards (kit)
Ideas to Think About
- How does place value work?
- How can you use place value to name, create, and compare numbers to a million?
Skills
- Compare and order large numbers
Introducing the Lesson
Tell your child that during this lesson she will practice comparing and ordering big numbers. Remind her to look closely at the digits in each place as she works. As needed, you can use the following information to help her:
- Do the numbers have the same number of digits? If they don't, the number with the most digits is the greater one.
- If they do have the same number of digits, you should look at the digits in the highest place first. If they are different, the number with the higher digit in the highest place is greater. For example, 413,554 is greater than 399,999 because 4 in the hundred thousands place is greater than 3 in the hundred thousands place (four hundred thousand is greater than three hundred thousand!).
- Are the digits in the highest place the same? If so, then you should look at the next greatest place. So, when comparing two 6-digit numbers that have the same digit in the hundred thousands place, you need to look at the digits in the ten thousands place. (If the numbers in the next greatest place are the same, look at the next greatest place to compare, and so on.)
MATERIALS NOTE: If you do not have the math kit, you can download the decimal grid and decimal place value chart from the following web link. You can laminate each sheet or place each in a plastic page protector for your child to use with a thin tipped dry-erase marker. If you prefer, you can instead print out several copies for your child to use in this unit with a pencil. For the number cards used in Activity 4, you can use the number cards 0-9 from a previous level's math kit or one set of 0-9 cards from an UNO card game. You can also download the number card sheet from the following web link, copy it onto card stock paper, and cut out the cards.
Web Link
