CCSS.Math.Content.5.NBT.A.3b
The standard
Compare two decimals to thousandths based on meanings of the digits in each place, using >, =, and < symbols to record the results of comparisons.
Common Core State Standards for Mathematics
What this standard means
Students need to compare decimal numbers by place value, not by length or how the number looks. They should line up tenths, hundredths, and thousandths, then compare from left to right. They also need to write the comparison with the correct symbol.
Mastery looks like a student explaining, “0.406 is greater than 0.39 because 4 tenths is greater than 3 tenths,” and recording it correctly. Common trouble spots are thinking more digits means a bigger number, treating 0.7 and 0.700 as different values, and comparing hundredths before checking tenths.
Ways to teach it
- Hands-on: Give students base-ten decimal grids and have them shade pairs like 0.35 and 0.307 before choosing the correct symbol.
- Prompt: Ask, “Is 0.6 greater than 0.599? Explain using tenths, hundredths, and thousandths.”
- Quick check: Display five decimal pairs on the board and have students write >, <, or = on mini whiteboards.
- Real-world connection: Compare race times or batting averages to thousandths, then have students explain which result is greater and why.
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Related standards
- CCSS.Math.Content.1.NBT.B.3
Compare two two-digit numbers based on meanings of the tens and ones digits, recording the results of comparisons with the symbols >, =, and <.
- CCSS.Math.Content.4.NF.C.7
Compare two decimals to hundredths by reasoning about their size. Recognize that comparisons are valid only when the two decimals refer to the same whole. Recor...
- CCSS.Math.Content.5.NBT.A.3
Read, write, and compare decimals to thousandths.
- CCSS.Math.Content.2.NBT.A.4
Compare two three-digit numbers based on meanings of the hundreds, tens, and ones digits, using >, =, and < symbols to record the results of comparisons.