Comparing and ordering

Earlier, we saw that each digit gets its value from its place. Today, we compare numbers place by place, starting from the thousands, and put them in order. Arrange four thousand, six hundred and twenty-eight, four thousand, six hundred and eighty-two and four thousand, five hundred and ninety-seven in ascending order. Start from the thousands. All three numbers have 4 thousands. Next, compare the hundreds. Four thousand, five hundred and ninety-seven has only 5 hundreds. 5 hundreds is smaller than 6 hundreds, so it is the smallest number. The other two both have 6 hundreds, so we compare their tens. 2 tens is smaller than 8 tens, so four thousand, six hundred and twenty-eight is smaller. Ascending order means smallest first. From smallest to greatest. Four thousand, five hundred and ninety-seven, four thousand, six hundred and twenty-eight, four thousand, six hundred and eighty-two. These numbers are now in ascending order.

Arrange seven thousand, three hundred and sixteen, seven thousand, three hundred and sixty-one and seven thousand, two hundred and ninety-eight in descending order. Try it first. Pause if you like. Start from the thousands. All three numbers have 7 thousands. Next, compare the hundreds. Seven thousand, two hundred and ninety-eight has only 2 hundreds. 2 hundreds is smaller than 3 hundreds, so it is the smallest number. The other two both have 3 hundreds, so we compare their tens. 1 ten is smaller than 6 tens, so seven thousand, three hundred and sixteen is smaller. Descending order means from the greatest to the smallest. From greatest to smallest. Seven thousand, three hundred and sixty-one, seven thousand, three hundred and sixteen, seven thousand, two hundred and ninety-eight. These numbers are now in descending order.

Arrange five thousand, eight hundred and four, five thousand, eight hundred and forty and five thousand, eight hundred and nine in ascending order. Try it first. Pause if you like. All three numbers have 5 thousands and 8 hundreds. Next, compare the tens. Five thousand, eight hundred and forty has 4 tens, and the others have 0 tens. 4 tens is greater than 0 tens, so it is the greatest number. The other two have the same tens, so we compare their ones. 4 ones is smaller than 9 ones, so five thousand, eight hundred and four is smaller. Ascending order means smallest first. From smallest to greatest. Five thousand, eight hundred and four, five thousand, eight hundred and nine, five thousand, eight hundred and forty. These numbers are now in ascending order. Start from the thousands, and the first place with different digits tells us which number is greater.