B. Number · Number Sense: Numbers to 200 and Fractions

Comparing and Ordering Numbers to 200

B1.2About 30 minutes

Learning goals

I can tell which of two numbers to 200 is greater or less.
I can compare numbers by looking at hundreds, then tens, then ones.
I can put numbers in order from least to greatest and greatest to least.
I can find numbers that are between two numbers.

Words to know

greater than
More than. 150 is greater than 105.

less than
Fewer than or smaller than. 98 is less than 110.

equal to
The same amount.

least / greatest
The smallest number / the biggest number in a group.

between
In the middle. 125 is between 120 and 130.

Who read more?

The Grade 2 classes had a reading challenge. Ella's class read 148 books. Jon's class read 184 books.

The numbers use the same digits! Which class read more? Let's learn how to tell.

Remember from Grade 1

To compare numbers to 50, you looked at the tens first, then the ones. Now we have hundreds, so we start there.

Three steps to compare

Look at the hundreds. More hundreds means a greater number.
If the hundreds are the same, look at the tens.
If the tens are also the same, look at the ones.

Number	Hundreds	Tens	Ones
148	1	4	8
184	1	8	4

Same hundreds. 8 tens is more than 4 tens, so 184 is greater.

Compare 148 and 184 place by place. The hundreds are the same, so look at the tens: 8 tens is more than 4 tens, so 184 is greater.

Worked example

Example 1: The reading challenge

Which is greater, 148 or 184?

Hundreds: both have 1 hundred. Same, so keep going.
Tens: 148 has 4 tens. 184 has 8 tens.
8 tens is more than 4 tens.

184 is greater than 148. Jon's class read more books.

Worked example

Example 2: Two digits or three?

Which is less, 96 or 102?

96 has 0 hundreds. 102 has 1 hundred.
Any number with a hundred is bigger than a number with no hundreds.
Don't be tricked by the 9! The hundreds decide first.

96 is less than 102.

On a number line, numbers get bigger as you go right. 96 is left of 102, and 148 is left of 184.

Use a number line

If you're not sure, picture a number line. The number farther to the right is greater. The number farther to the left is less.

Worked example

Example 3: Put in order

Put these heights in order from least to greatest: 135 cm, 153 cm, 115 cm, 131 cm

All have 1 hundred. Compare tens: 3, 5, 1, 3.
The smallest tens is 1, so 115 is the least.
The biggest tens is 5, so 153 is the greatest.
135 and 131 both have 3 tens. Compare ones: 1 is less than 5, so 131 comes before 135.

115, 131, 135, 153

Worked example

Example 4: Numbers between

Name all the whole numbers between 196 and 200.

"Between" means after 196 and before 200. Don't include 196 or 200.
Count: 197, 198, 199.

197, 198, 199

Just for fun

Why was 96 so surprised to be less than 102?

It had a big 9 in the tens place, but 102 had a whole hundred in its pocket!

Hands-on activity

Greatest number wins

You need: a deck of cards with the face cards taken out (Ace = 1, 10 = 0), or paper cards with the digits 0 to 9. Each player also needs a paper card with a 1 on it.

Each player puts their 1 card down first. This is the hundreds digit.
Each player turns over two more cards and places them to make the greatest number they can, like 1 _ _.
Read your numbers out loud. The greatest number wins the round.
Say who won using "greater than" or "less than".
Next game: try to make the least number instead!

Math talk: "Where did you put your bigger card? Why?"

Your turn

Which is greater, 162 or 126?

Which is less, 189 or 99?

Fill in with greater than, less than or equal to: 140 is ___ 104.

Put in order from least to greatest: 170, 107, 117

Name a number between 150 and 160.

Put in order from greatest to least: 199, 200, 190

Mom drove 125 km. Dad drove 152 km. Who drove farther?

More practice: warm-up

Which is greater, 130 or 150?

Which is less, 110 or 101?

Is 145 equal to 145?

What number is just after 159?

Which is greatest: 80, 180, 18?

More practice: on your own

Which is greater, 177 or 171? How do you know?

Order from least to greatest: 142, 124, 141, 114

Leo says 98 is greater than 108 because 9 is bigger than 1. What would you tell him?

Name all the numbers between 117 and 122.

Collected cans: Class A 136, Class B 163, Class C 133. Which class collected the most? The fewest?

Challenge

Use the digits 1, 5, 8 once each to make three-digit numbers that are less than 200. What is the greatest one you can make? The least?

I am between 160 and 170. My ones digit is 2 more than my tens digit. What number am I?

Write a number that is greater than 190 but less than 195, and is even.

Check your understanding

Quiz

Which number is greatest?

Which is true?

Which list is in order from least to greatest?

Which number is between 145 and 150?

To compare 163 and 136, which place should you look at first?

Which is less than 100?

For parents and teachers

Big idea: Compare numbers from the biggest place first: hundreds, then tens, then ones. A number line helps children see which number is greater.

Common difficulties:

Looking at the first digit they see (thinking 98 > 108 because 9 > 1). Line the numbers up by place value, or build both with blocks.
Confusing "greater than" and "less than" wording. Say it as a full sentence: "184 is greater than 148."
Including the end numbers when asked for numbers "between".

How to help: Compare real numbers: prices in a flyer, page numbers, heights in centimetres, kilometres on a road sign. Play the card game in this lesson. Note: the symbols > and < are not required in this lesson, so focus on the words.