Download Comparing and Ordering Decimals and Whole Numbers

Ordering Decimals
and Whole Numbers
Lesson 1-2
The skills we use to compare
and order numbers is the same
as the skills we use to put
words in alphabetical order.
order numbers = ABC order
First, let’s put the words in this list in
ABC order:
school
scooter
ruler
scheme
scissors
Look for the word(s) whose first letter
comes first.
school
scooter
ruler
scheme
scissors
The rest of the words start with the
same letter, S. This letter is the same
for all four words. It does not help us.
school
scooter
scheme
scissors
ruler
Look at the second letter. It is the
same, C, for all four words. It does
not help us either.
school
scooter
scheme
scissors
ruler
Look at the third letter.
school
scooter
scheme
scissors
ruler
Are there any differences?
school
scooter
scheme
scissors
ruler
The letter H comes before the letters O
and I. This means that the second and
third spot in our ABC order go with the H
words. Look at the fourth letter for those
words.
school
scooter
scheme
scissors
ruler
The letter E comes before the letter O;
therefore, scheme comes before
school.
school
scooter
scheme
scissors
ruler
scheme
school
The letter I comes before the letter O.
scooter
scissors
ruler
scheme
school
scissors
This means that the word scooter comes last.
scooter
ruler
scheme
school
scissors
scooter
Putting words into ABC
order is like putting
numbers in order from least
(A) to greatest (Z)
Put the following numbers in order
from least to greatest.
14.025
2.25
4.025
4.205
First, you need to understand the
words in the directions.
Least = Smallest
Greatest = Biggest
First make a list of blanks to put
your numbers on, then label the
least and greatest blanks.
1
2
3
4
14.025
2.25
4.025
4.205
1
(Least)
2
3
4
(Greatest)
Next, look at your whole
numbers.
14.025
2.25
4.025
4.205
(Least)
(Greatest)
Look at the number in the tenths
place.
2.25
4.025
4.205
14.025
(Least)
(Greatest)
Look at the number in the tenths
place.
0 is smaller than 2,
so 4.025 comes
first.
4.025
4.205
2.25
14.025
(Least)
(Greatest)
The numbers are now in order from
least to greatest, or smallest to
biggest.
2.25
4.025
4.205
14.025
(Least)
(Greatest)
If you need to put them in order
from greatest to least, then flip the
order.
2.25 (Least)
4.025
4.205
14.025 (Greatest)
(Greatest)
(Least)
What if I have decimals with
different place values?
2.0230
2.023
2.0200
2.02
2.0235
This number has four
decimal places. For all the
Now
youradd
ABC
order
other use
numbers,
zeros
to
the end soto
that
they
also in
strategy
put
them
have
4 decimal places.
the required
order.
Try a couple on your own!
Put the following in order from least
to greatest.
ANSWER:
2.68
2.068
12.6
2.68
2.068
3.75
3.75
12.6
Put the following in order from
greatest to least.
ANSWER:
56.89
568.9
5.689
56.89
568.9
50.689
50.689
5.689
Put the following in order from least
to greatest.
ANSWER:
0.36
0.0063
0.306
0.306
0.63
0.36
0.0063
0.63
Tip:
think
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