Greater Than/Less Than

Greater than and less than are comparison symbols used to compare two numbers. The greater than symbol is > and the less than symbol is <. These symbols help us to compare numbers and determine their relative size.

Comparing Numbers using Greater Than and Less Than

When comparing two numbers, we use the greater than and less than symbols to show which number is larger or smaller. For example:

• 5 > 3 (read as "5 is greater than 3")
• 8 < 10 (read as "8 is less than 10")
• 4 > 4 (read as "4 is greater than 4" - note that this is not true)
• 7 < 7 (read as "7 is less than 7" - again, not true)

Comparing Numbers with Equal To

We use the greater than or equal to symbol (≥) and the less than or equal to symbol (≤) when we want to include the possibility of the numbers being equal. For example:

• 6 ≥ 4 (read as "6 is greater than or equal to 4")
• 9 ≤ 9 (read as "9 is less than or equal to 9")

Study Guide

Here are some tips for using greater than and less than symbols:

1. When the pointed end of the symbol is towards the larger number, it means greater than.
2. When the pointed end of the symbol is towards the smaller number, it means less than.
3. Remember that the symbols are always read from left to right.

Practice comparing numbers using greater than and less than symbols to improve your understanding of relative number sizes.

[Greater Than/Less Than] Related Worksheets and Study Guides:

• Fractions Greater Than or Less Than 1/2Mathematics • Second Grade
• Greater Than, Less ThanMathematics • First Grade