Ordering Decimals
Ordering decimals can be tricky. This is because often we look at
0.42 and 0.402 and say that 0.402 must be bigger because there are
more digits.
If you follow the following method you will see which decimals
are bigger.
- Set up a table with the decimal place in the same place for
each number.
- Put in each number.
- Fill in the empty squares with zeros.
- Compare using the first column, and pick out the highest in
order.
- If the digits are equal move to the next column until one
number wins.
Example
Order the following decimals:
0.402,
0.42, 0.375, 1.2, 0.85
In a table they will look like this:
|
Units
|
Decimal Point
|
Tenths
|
Hundredths
|
Thousandths
|
|
0
|
·
|
4
|
0
|
2
|
|
0
|
·
|
4
|
2
|
0
|
|
0
|
·
|
3
|
7
|
5
|
|
1
|
·
|
2
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
·
|
8
|
5
|
0
|
| Compare the Units. |
 |
There is a 1, all the rest are 0, so 1.2 must be the highest. (Write it down in your answer and cross it off the table). |
| Compare the Tenths. |
|
The 8 is highest, so 0.85 is next in value. |
| There are two numbers with the same "Tenths"
value of 4, so move down to the "Hundredths" for the tie
breaker |
|
One number has a 2 in the hundredths, and the other
has a 0, so the 2 wins. So 0.42 is bigger than 0.402 |
| Go back to comparing the Tenths |
|
0.375 must be next followed by 0.2 |
The decimals must be in the order, highest to lowest:
1.2, 0.85, 0.42,
0.402, 0.375
Done!
|
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