Comparing: greater, less, equals · Martinとコード

Where is there more? You will learn the signs < > = and the crocodile mouth that eats the bigger number.

The crocodile eats the bigger pile

Two piles of sweets. Which is bigger? That is comparing. You do it all the time: who has more bricks, who jumped further, who is older.

Maths has three signs for this. Greater than is written >. Less than is written <. And when both are the same, you write equals: =.

Your eyes can compare too. They spot a big pile and a small pile at once. But with the numbers 7 and 8, eyes are not enough. Then your head has to step in — and the signs that write your decision on paper.

The signs < and > get mixed up. A crocodile helps. The sign is its open mouth. And the crocodile is hungry — it always bites the bigger number.

5 > 3 you read: five is greater than three. The mouth is open towards the five. 2 < 7 you read: two is less than seven. The mouth points at the bigger seven again. The crocodile never gets it wrong.

Sofie and Filip are playing marbles. Sofie won 8, Filip 6. “I won!” shouts Filip. Sofie lines the marbles up in two rows, one against the other. Marble next to marble. Filip’s row ends first. Two of Sofie’s marbles are left with no pair. “See? 8 is more than 6.” Sofie writes it on paper: 8 > 6. “The mouth eats the eight, because it is bigger.” Filip laughs: “Then at least I’ll draw the crocodile some teeth.” He draws a mouth full of them. From then on they both remember: the toothy mouth always opens towards the bigger pile of marbles.

💡

The point of the sign points at the smaller number. The open mouth points at the bigger one. If you are not sure, draw the piles.

How to compare two numbers

You compare in three steps.

1. Look at both numbers. For example 4 and 7.

2. Find which is bigger. You have two helpers. First: the number row. The number you say later when you count is bigger. Four… five, six, seven. Seven comes later, so it is bigger. Second helper: draw piles and pair them up. Circle to circle. Where circles are left over, there is more.

3. Write the sign. The mouth opens towards the bigger number: 4 < 7. You read: four is less than seven.

And if the numbers are the same? 5 and 5? Then neither is bigger. The crocodile does not know which to bite, so it shuts its mouth and sleeps. You write equals: 5 = 5.

Read every comparison out loud as a full sentence. “Four is less than seven.” If the sentence makes sense, the sign is right. If it sounds odd (“seven is less than four”?), turn it round.

Compare 9 and 6

Which is bigger? I count: six… seven, eight, nine. Nine comes later, so it is bigger.

The crocodile bites the nine. The mouth opens left towards the nine: 9 > 6.

I read it out loud: nine is greater than six. Does that make sense? Yes. Done.

Check with piles: nine circles against six circles. I pair them. Three circles are left by the nine. There is more by the nine. It matches.

Compare 3 and 8

Three, or eight? I say three earlier when I count. So three is smaller.

The mouth points at the eight: 3 < 8.

I read: three is less than eight. It matches.

Watch out, this is the same comparison written the other way: 8 > 3. Eight is greater than three. Both sentences are true. You are just looking from the other side.

Compare 7 and 7

Seven and seven. Is one bigger? No. They are exactly the same.

I draw piles: seven circles and seven circles. I pair them. Nothing is left. Neither side has more.

I write equals: 7 = 7. I read: seven equals seven.

The crocodile has a shut mouth. Same numbers do not get eaten.

⚠️

The most common mistake: a flipped sign. You write 3 > 8 and it should be 3 < 8. Always read the sentence out loud. “Three is greater than eight” sounds wrong — and it is wrong.

Play it

Before you go to the sheet, try it with your eyes. This is not a test — it is a game. Tap until you see it.

Practice: now you do it 🎲

Now try it for real. You will see all the questions at once, like on paper. スタート with ten. If it goes well, add more.

Compare the piles. Tap the sign — you do not have to type it.

Practise the questions

On paper

Paper, a pencil, and crayons for the crocodile if you like.

Write three comparisons with the crocodile: 5 and 9, 10 and 4, 6 and 6. Fill in the right sign.
Read each comparison out loud as a full sentence. “Five is less than nine.”
Take two piles of bricks (a parent will set them up). Pair them, find where there is more, and write the comparison.
Make up your own comparison where equals is true.

Now you 💪

I know the signs <, > and = and I know what they mean.
My crocodile mouth always points at the bigger number.
I can read a comparison out loud as a full sentence.

✅

Done when: You fill in the right signs between five pairs of numbers and not one is flipped.

What to take from this lesson

Comparing tells you where there is more.
The crocodile eats the bigger number. The mouth = the sign.
< is less than, > is greater than, = is equals.
Same numbers: equals. The crocodile sleeps.
Read the comparison out loud. A wrong sentence gives away a wrong sign.