Comparing and ordering decimals | Year 5 Mathematics PDF Download

How to Compare and Order Decimals

Decimals can be compared and ordered using number lines as visual aids. Let's delve into this concept:

Examples

Example: 1

• On the number line below we can see that 2.3 (two and three tenths) is less than 2.8 (two and eight tenths).
• 2.8 is five tenths more than 2.3.
  

Example: 2

• Look at this next example.
  
• 6.82 (six and eighty-two hundredths) is less than 6.86 (six and eighty-six hundredths).
• 6.82 is more than 6.8 (six and eight tenths or six and eighty hundredths).
• 6.86 is less than 6.9 (six and nine tenths or six and ninety hundredths).
• If we order the four decimals from smallest to biggest we get: 6.8, 6.82, 6.86, 6.9.

Example: 3

• On this next number line we can see that 5.5 (five and five tenths) is less than 5.6 (five and six tenths), which is less than 5.9 (five and nine tenths).
  
• The difference between the biggest number and the smallest number is seven tenths.
• If we order the decimals from smallest to biggest we get: 5.2, 5.6, 5.9.

Example: 4

• In this next number line 4.23 (four and twenty-three hundredths) is less than 4.27 (four and twenty-seven hundredths).
  
• 4.27 is four hundredths more than 4.23.