Comparing Decimals
Practise comparing decimals — and avoid the classic trap of thinking more digits means a bigger number.
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How to compare decimals
Comparing decimals trips up more kids than almost any other topic, because the whole-number instinct — “more digits = bigger” — is wrong here. 0.7 is bigger than 0.65, even though 0.65 has more digits. The fix is to compare place by place from the left.
- Compare the whole-number parts first.
- If equal, compare the tenths, then the hundredths, and so on — left to right.
- It helps to pad with zeros so both have the same length: 0.7 becomes 0.70 next to 0.65.
Worked examples
Tips & common mistakes
The trick that makes it click is padding with zeros so both decimals are the same length — suddenly 0.70 vs 0.65 is obvious. Compare from the left, never by digit count. Tap <, = or >.
- Thinking 0.65 > 0.7 because it has more digits — the most common decimal error there is.
- Comparing from the right instead of the left.
- Ignoring the place values and treating the decimals like whole numbers.
Frequently asked questions
How do you compare decimals?
Compare place by place from the left — whole numbers, then tenths, then hundredths. Padding with zeros so both are the same length makes it easier.
Why is 0.7 greater than 0.65?
Because 0.7 is seven tenths and 0.65 is between six and seven tenths. Written as 0.70 vs 0.65, the tenths digit settles it.
Does more digits mean a bigger decimal?
No — that’s the big trap. 0.5 is larger than 0.45 even though it has fewer digits.
What’s the zero-padding trick?
Add zeros so both decimals have the same number of places (0.7 → 0.70). Then you can compare digit by digit like whole numbers.
What grade is comparing decimals?
It is a grade 4–5 skill and a common source of mistakes well beyond that.
Keep practising
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