Comparing decimals visually

The  exercise appears under the 4th grade (U.S.) Math Mission. This exercise uses geometric representations to understand relative size between decimals.

Types of Problems
There is one type of problem in this exercise:


 * 1) Use the correct inequality or equals sign: This problem provides two decimal numbers that are meant to be compared. The student is asked to select the correct symbol from among <,> and = to represent the correct answer.Cdv1.png

Strategies
Knowledge of the meaning of decimal places and an ability to think geometrically are encouraged to ensure success on this exercise.
 * 1) Decimals are meant to be compared by the first different digit when reading left to right.
 * 2) The geometric manipulatives may be useful, but are not required to get the answers to this exercise.
 * 3) The problems with equality appear to include an extra zero after the decimal in all cases.
 * 4) The first option is <, the second is >, and the third is =. This knowledge and that "tab" key can increase efficiency on this exercise.

Real-life Applications

 * 1) Comparing decimals efficiently has many uses in science and math, especially as a tool for finding approximations and checking answers.