Ordering Decimals

Maths: Year 5 & 6 National Curriculum, topic 1.4.8

Ordering Decimals

You can use place value grids to help you order decimals.

Using place value

Using place value

  • To order these decimals, you need to look closely at the place value.
Place value grid

Place value grid

  • Put your numbers in a place value grid.
Start with the 'ones'

Start with the 'ones'

  • To put the numbers in order, start by looking at the 'ones' column.
  • All three numbers have 3 'ones'.
  • So there is no difference in the 'ones' for all numbers.
Next, check the 'tenths' column

Next, check the 'tenths' column

  • In the 'tenths' column you can begin to order the numbers.
  • You can see that 3.245 is the smallest as it has the least amount of 'tenths'.
  • 3.452 is the second smallest as it has the second least amount of 'tenths'.
3.542 and 3.524

3.542 and 3.524

  • You know the smallest number is 3.245, followed by 3.452.
  • You need to be able to work out which is smaller out of 3.542 and 3.524.
  • Next, look at the 'hundredths' column to find out.
The 'hundredths' column

The 'hundredths' column

  • You can see 3.524 is smaller than 3.542 by looking at the 'hundredths' column.
  • 3.542 and 3.524 both have the same number of 'ones' and 'tenths'.
  • 3.542 has 4 'hundredths' and 3.524 has 2 'hundredths'.
  • So, 3.524 is smaller than 3.542.

Test yourself on Ordering Decimals

  • Which of these numbers is the smallest?

  • Which of these numbers is the largest?

  • Which of these numbers is the smallest?

  • Which of these numbers is the largest?

  • Select the larger number?

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