Grade 2 Place Value: Comparing 3-Digit Numbers

Compare using place value

What You'll Learn

Compare 3-digit numbers
Use >, <, =

📖Compare

Start comparing from the hundreds place! If the hundreds are the same, compare the tens; if the tens are the same too, compare the ones. 452 > 438 because 5 tens is more than 3 tens.

💡Hundreds win

398 < 412 even though 9 and 8 are big digits: 3 hundreds is less than 4 hundreds.

Worked examples

Real problems from the practice worksheets, solved one step at a time.

Example 1
943 ___ 943
1. To compare 943 and 943, look at how big each number is. For bigger numbers, compare one place at a time, starting from the left.
2. 943 is equal to 943.
3. Since they are the same, use the = sign: 943 = 943.
Answer: =
Example 2
590 ___ 595
1. To compare 590 and 595, look at how big each number is. For bigger numbers, compare one place at a time, starting from the left.
2. 590 is less than 595.
3. So 590 < 595. The open, wide end of the sign always faces the bigger number.
Answer: <
Example 3
771 ___ 334
1. To compare 771 and 334, look at how big each number is. For bigger numbers, compare one place at a time, starting from the left.
2. 771 is greater than 334.
3. So 771 > 334. The open, wide end of the sign always faces the bigger number.
Answer: >