Greater than, less than, step by step
Before children add or subtract, they learn to judge which of two numbers is bigger.
The question
20 ? 19
20 (2 digits)?19 (2 digits)
from the left:20vs19
20>19
20 (2 digits)vs19 (2 digits)
20>19
- Count the DIGITS first — more digits always wins, whatever the digits themselves say. These two are the same length, so that will not settle it and the digits do have to be read.
- Same number of digits, so now they can be compared — and from the LEFT, because the leftmost digit is worth the most.
- The first place they differ decides it: 20 is the bigger.
- So 20 > 19 — the open end of the sign always faces the bigger number.
How it works.
- 01
Count the DIGITS first — more digits always wins, whatever the digits themselves say. These two are the same length, so that will not settle it and the digits do have to be read.
- 02
Same number of digits, so now they can be compared — and from the LEFT, because the leftmost digit is worth the most.
- 03
The first place they differ decides it: 20 is the bigger.
- 04
So 20 > 19 — the open end of the sign always faces the bigger number.