Maths Library

Comparing and Ordering Numbers: Year 5 maths

This topic covers relative magnitude, comparing quantities, and ordering values from smallest to largest or vice versa. Pupils practise using comparison symbols (<, >, =) and placing multi-digit numbers in order.

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What this covers

Comparing and Ordering Numbers is taught in Year 5 (age 9 to 10, KS2) as a main teaching focus. It sits in the Number strand.

Worked example

Insert <, >, or = to make the statement true: 345 __ 354

  1. Compare the hundreds digits: both have 3 hundreds.
  2. Compare the tens digits: 4 tens is less than 5 tens.
  3. Therefore, 345 is less than 354.

Answer: <

Difficulty scale

The sheet generator offers five difficulty settings for this topic.

  1. Comparing two numbers up to 20 using words (greater than, less than)
  2. Using <, >, and = for numbers up to 100
  3. Ordering three or four numbers up to 1,000
  4. Ordering up to five numbers up to 100,000
  5. Ordering mixed positive/negative integers or multi-digit numbers past 1,000,000

Common mistakes

  • Interpreting the inequality sign backwards by confusing the wider mouth with smaller values
  • Assuming a number starting with a larger digit is always bigger regardless of total digit length

Curriculum links

Indicative matches to National Curriculum for England. Check wording and codes against the official document.

  • Read, write, order and compare numbers to at least 1,000,000 and determine the value of each digit.

Sample sheet and answers

Six questions at the level's usual difficulty. Open the editor to change, add or regenerate any of them.

Comparing and Ordering Numbers

Year 5 maths

Qs
6
Marks
12
NameDateScore / 12
1.
Write <, > or = in the box: 740 666
[2]
2.
Write <, > or = in the box: 67 634
[2]
3.
Write <, > or = in the box: 156 156
[2]
4.
Write <, > or = in the box: 414 337
[2]
5.
Write <, > or = in the box: 721 46
[2]
6.
Write <, > or = in the box: 845 168
[2]

Answer key

  1. >Compare the digits from the left; 740 > 666
  2. <Compare the digits from the left; 67 < 634
  3. =Compare the digits from the left; 156 = 156
  4. >Compare the digits from the left; 414 > 337
  5. >Compare the digits from the left; 721 > 46
  6. >Compare the digits from the left; 845 > 168