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".

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 (>):

$Greater than Sign$

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

The sign for greater than is >.

$Sign for Greater than$

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

$Put the Greater than Sign$

Less than (>):

$Less than Sign$

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

The sign for greater than is <.

$Sign for Less than$

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

$Put the Less than Sign$

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]

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 '<'.

$Greater than and Less than$

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:

(i) 77 and 36	77	>	36	or	36	<	77
(ii) 86 and 79	____	____	____	or	____	____	____
(iii) 59 and 76	____	____	____	or	____	____	____
(iv) 16 and 14	____	____	____	or	____	____	____
(v) 83 and 28	____	____	____	or	____	____	____
(vi) 50 and 90	____	____	____	or	____	____	____
(vii) 72 and 83	____	____	____	or	____	____	____
(viii) 45 and 36	____	____	____	or	____	____	____
(ix) 28 and 58	____	____	____	or	____	____	____
(x) 62 and 89	____	____	____	or	____	____	____