Compare Two-Digit Numbers

Grade 1 · mathematics · 100 practice problems · read aloud

🔊 Listen to this explanation

Comparing Two-Digit Numbers

🧐 What is Comparing Numbers?

Comparing numbers means figuring out which number is greater than (>), which is less than (<), or if they are equal to (=) each other. We do this all the time, like when we decide which bag has more marbles or who has fewer cookies!

📝 How to Compare Two-Digit Numbers

Think of a two-digit number like Tens and Ones. Follow these steps:

  1. Step 1: Look at the TENS place first. The number with more tens is always bigger!
  2. Step 2: If the tens are the SAME, then look at the ONES place. The number with more ones is bigger.
  3. Step 3: Choose the correct symbol: > (greater than), < (less than), or = (equal).

🔍 Let's Look at Examples

Example 1: Compare 57 and 62

  • Step 1: Look at the Tens. 57 has 5 tens. 62 has 6 tens.
  • Step 2: 6 tens is more than 5 tens, so 62 is bigger!
  • Answer: 57 < 62

Example 2: Compare 84 and 81

  • Step 1: Look at the Tens. Both have 8 tens. They are the same so far!
  • Step 2: Look at the Ones. 84 has 4 ones. 81 has 1 one.
  • Step 3: 4 ones is more than 1 one, so 84 is bigger!
  • Answer: 84 > 81

⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Mistake: Only looking at the Ones digit. Remember: Always start with the Tens! The number 19 is less than 32, even though 9 is bigger than 2, because 1 ten is less than 3 tens.
  • Mistake: Mixing up the > and < symbols. Think of the symbol as a hungry alligator's mouth 🐊—it always opens to eat the bigger number!

💡 Tips & Tricks

  • Hungry Alligator: The > and < symbols look like a mouth. It always wants to eat the bigger number! For 15 < 20, the mouth eats the 20.
  • Tens First! Make it a habit. Say "Tens, then Ones" out loud when you start a problem.
  • Draw it: Draw base-ten blocks (like rods for tens and cubes for ones) to see which number is really bigger.

🎯 How to Practice

You can get great at comparing numbers by trying these activities:

  • Card Game: Flip over two number cards. The player who correctly says which is greater (using >, <, or =) wins the cards!
  • Worksheet Fun: Practice with worksheets that have number pairs like 36 __ 29 or 71 __ 77.
  • Real-Life Comparing: Compare page numbers in a book, scores in a game, or how many toys you and a friend have!

Practice problems

6 of the 100, worked through step by step — try them before opening the answer.

1 37 > 29 ?

  1. A) yes
  2. B) no

Hint: Compare the tens digits first. If they are different, the number with the larger tens digit is bigger.

Show the answer

Answer: A) yes

  1. Identify the numbers being compared. We are comparing 37 and 29.
  2. Compare the digits from left to right. Both numbers have two digits. Look at the tens place first: 37 has 3 in the tens place. 29 has 2 in the tens place.
  3. Since 3 is greater than 2, the number with the larger tens digit is larger. Therefore, 37 is greater than 29.
  4. Write the comparison as an inequality. 37 > 29 is a true statement.
  5. Conclusion.

The correct answer is "yes" because 37 is indeed greater than 29.

2 42 > 24 ?

  1. A) false
  2. B) true

Hint: Compare the digits starting from the leftmost position.

Show the answer

Answer: B) true

  1. Look at the tens digit of each number. - 42 has tens digit 4. - 24 has tens digit 2.
  2. Compare the tens digits. - Since 4 > 2, the number with the larger tens digit is larger, regardless of the ones digit.
  3. Therefore, 42 is greater than 24.
  4. The statement "42 > 24" is true. Final answer: true

We compare the two numbers: 42 and 24.

3 47 > 32 ?

  1. A) true
  2. B) false

Hint: Compare the digits starting from the leftmost position.

Show the answer

Answer: A) true

  1. Identify the numbers being compared. We have 47 and 32.
  2. Compare the digits from left to right. Both numbers have two digits. First, compare the tens place: - 47 has 4 in the tens place. - 32 has 3 in the tens place. Since 4 is greater than 3, 47 is greater than 32.
  3. Confirm the result. Even if we check the ones place: - 47 has 7 ones. - 32 has 2 ones. But since the tens place already determines the larger number, no further check is needed.
  4. Write the inequality. 47 > 32 is true. Final Answer: true

4 45 > 32 = ?

  1. A) true
  2. B) false

Hint: Compare the digits starting from the leftmost position.

Show the answer

Answer: A) true

  1. Read the problem carefully. The problem is: 45 > 32 = ?
  2. Understand the symbols. The symbol ">" means "is greater than". So the statement "45 > 32" is asking: "Is 45 greater than 32?"
  3. Compare the two numbers. Compare 45 and 32. 45 is a larger number than 32.
  4. Determine the truth value. Since 45 is indeed greater than 32, the statement "45 > 32" is true.
  5. State the final answer. Therefore,

the correct answer is "true".

5 47 > 32 = ?

  1. A) false
  2. B) true

Hint: Compare the tens digits first. If they are different, the number with the larger tens digit is greater.

Show the answer

Answer: B) true

  1. Understand the problem. The expression "47 > 32" is a comparison. It asks: Is 47 greater than 32?
  2. Compare the numbers. 47 is greater than 32 because 47 − 32 = 15, which is positive.
  3. Interpret the result. Since 47 is indeed greater than 32, the statement "47 > 32" is true.
  4. Final answer. Therefore, 47 > 32 = true.

Let's go step-by-step. We are given: 47 > 32 = ?

6 42 > 37 = ?

  1. A) false
  2. B) true

Hint: Look at the tens digit first. If they are different, the number with the larger tens digit is bigger.

Show the answer

Answer: B) true

  1. Understand the problem. The problem says "42 > 37 = ?". This means we need to check whether 42 is greater than 37.
  2. Compare the two numbers. 42 is on the left, 37 is on the right. We check: Is 42 greater than 37? Yes, because 42 − 37 = 5, which is positive.
  3. Interpret the result. Since 42 is greater than 37, the statement "42 > 37" is true.
  4. Write the final answer.

The correct answer is: true

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