Compare Two Decimals to the Hundredths Place

Students compare two decimals to the hundredths place by reasoning about their size using place value understanding, models, and number lines. They record comparisons using >, =, or < symbols and justify their reasoning.

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Grade 4 · Comparing Decimals · question 1 of 3

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20 rungs. A star at the top.

At the bakery, Omar puts a small roll on the scale, and it weighs 0.1 kilogram. His loaf weighs 0.6 kilogram. Which of these compares the weights correctly?

0.1 < 0.6

0.1 > 0.6

0.1 = 0.6

How it is taught

0:00 of 3:49

Decimals are compared place by place from the left.

If tenths match, look at hundredths.

The smaller decimal sits farther left on the line.

Read it: Farther right is greater

Which is greater, 3.26 or 3.3? 3.26 has more digits, but on the line 3.3 sits farther right, so 3.3 is the greater.

Put both decimals on the same line, from 3.1 to 3.4.
Find each dot: 3.26 sits between 3.2 and 3.3.
Name the dot farther right as the greater: 3.3.

Numbers grow as you move right along a line, so the dot farther right is always the greater number.

Write 3.3 as 3.30 and the two line up: 3.30 is more than 3.26.

Tenths count first: 3.3 has more tenths than 3.26, and the extra hundredths in 3.26 never make up a whole tenth.

On the same line, the decimal farther right is the greater one, however many digits it has.

Calling 3.26 greater than 3.3 because it has more digits.

Look at the line, not the length: 3.3 sits farther right, so 3.3 > 3.26.

Which is smaller, 7.23 or 7.3? — 7.23. On a line 7.23 sits farther left than 7.3, and how many digits a decimal has says nothing about its size.

0.65 vs 0.68

Mia measured zero point six five inches of rain. Jake measured zero point six eight inches. Who got more?

Let's line up the two decimals and compare them place by place.

We always start with the biggest place. Look at the tenths.

Six tenths and six tenths — they're equal. We can't decide yet.

Grade 4 · Use place value to compare two decimals

So we move to the next place — the hundredths.

Five hundredths is less than eight hundredths.

So zero point six five is less than zero point six eight.

On the number line, 0.65 sits to the left of 0.68 — that matches!

Zero point six five is less than zero point six eight. Jake got more rain. Nice work!

What you see

While they climb, your page writes one true line to ask about tonight, and a short note each Sunday.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics

Did you know?

A chessboard has 64 squares — share them out between the 8 rows and each row holds exactly 8.

Today’s goal: 1 star — one skill mastered, every rung of its ladder climbed
Climbing now: Divide within 100

An example student.

MayaGrade 3 · Mathematics

Maya earned 2 stars this week — Interpret multiplication as equal groups, which took 6 answers over 3 days before its star landed 3 days ago and Multiply by 6, 7, 8 and 9. Next up: Divide within 100.

An example week.

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