Math Worksheets · Free 13-page pack
Free Comparing Numbers — 3-Digit Worksheets PDF
For grades 2-3, this 13-page pack practices comparing three-digit numbers. Each of six practice sheets contains 15 numbered pairs, including 292 and 408, 220 and 220, and 145 and 452. Students compare hundreds, then tens and ones when needed; the answer key supplies the correct comparison sign for every pair.
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Practice this skill on screen30 questions in three levels (easy, medium, hard) with instant feedback. Nothing to install.Get the whole set: 9 packs in one zipPlace value and rounding worksheet packs. Grades 1–4: compare, order, expanded form and rounding. US Letter PDFs with answer keys, 384 KB.
About this printable
A cover and student materials make up this 13-page US Letter PDF. Six practice sheets contain three-digit comparisons, and solutions follow them at the back. Practice pages 2, 3, and 7 each have 15 numbered pairs; the other practice sheets follow the same format. Children see examples such as 607 and 973, 862 and 871, plus the equal pair 220 and 220. Name and Date lines are supplied on the practice pages. An answer key is included.
Find the first place that differs
Three-digit numbers represent hundreds, tens, and ones. Begin at the hundreds place. If those digits differ, the number with more hundreds is greater and later places cannot change the result. When hundreds match, compare tens; when those match too, compare ones. If all three places match, the numbers are equal. This left-to-right check follows the size of each place-value unit.
For 607 and 973, compare 6 hundreds with 9 hundreds. Since six is fewer than nine, 607 is smaller, even though its tens digit is zero and its ones digit is seven. With 862 and 871, the hundreds both show eight, so move to tens: six is less than seven. Number cards or a hundreds chart can help children see the same ordering as the written digits.
Worked example 1
607 __ 973
Compare hundreds: 6 is less than 9. The first place already decides the order, so there is no need to compare tens or ones.
Answer: 607 < 973
Worked example 2
862 __ 871
Hundreds are both 8. Compare tens: 6 is less than 7, so the left number is smaller; the ones do not change the result.
Answer: 862 < 871
Worked example 3
220 __ 220
Hundreds, tens, and ones all match. The values are equal, so place an equal sign between them.
Answer: 220 = 220
How to teach this skill
Scan from hundreds
Write 607 and 973 in a place-value chart. Point to the hundreds first and compare six with nine. Stop once the unequal place decides the order. Ask the child to explain why the zero tens in 607 do not overturn the comparison made by the hundreds.
Use a hundreds chart
Locate three-digit values on a chart or number line that covers the needed interval. For 145 and 452, the values are far apart, making the order visible. Then return to the written numbers and identify which hundreds digit explains that distance.
Reveal one place at a time
Cover the tens and ones digits while comparing 607 and 973. Decide from the hundreds; then uncover later places and ask whether they could change the result. This makes clear that a smaller place cannot outweigh a difference in hundreds.
Check every matching place
For a pair such as 220 and 220, compare all three positions rather than stopping after seeing matching hundreds. Students can point to each pair of digits and confirm that hundreds, tens, and ones are identical before choosing =.
Works well for
Classroom and home ideas
Practice a left-to-right scan
Use a few three-digit pairs and ask students to name the first place that differs. This gives the teacher a clear view of whether the learner begins with hundreds rather than jumping to a striking ones digit.
Defend a close comparison
Pairs such as 862 and 871 share their hundreds. Have students explain why the tens settle the comparison before attending to the ones digits in either value.
Include equality
Ask learners to verify identical values like 220 and 220 digit by digit. This makes equality a deliberate conclusion rather than an overlooked option during independent work.
What usually goes wrong
Saying 607 is greater than 973 because its ones digit, 7, exceeds 3.
Compare from the largest place. Six hundreds is less than nine hundreds, so 607 < 973. A ones digit cannot outweigh a difference of three hundreds.
Comparing 862 and 871 by their ones digits before checking the tens.
The hundreds match, so move one place right to the tens. Six tens is less than seven tens, which makes 862 smaller even though 2 is greater than 1.
Writing 220 < 220 after noticing only that the numbers start with the same digit.
Check hundreds, tens, and ones. All positions match, so the numbers have equal value. Use the equal sign rather than forcing a greater-than or less-than choice.
Treating the zero in 607 as if it removes the hundreds or shifts the other digits.
Keep each digit in its named place: 6 hundreds, 0 tens, and 7 ones. Compare the hundreds first with 973's 9 hundreds; the zero simply means no tens are present.
Questions people ask
How do you compare three-digit numbers?
Compare the hundreds digits first. If they match, compare tens; if those match, compare ones. The first place that differs determines which number is greater. For 862 and 871, both have eight hundreds, but six tens is less than seven tens, so 862 < 871.
How can I teach children to compare numbers with hundreds, tens, and ones?
Use a place-value chart or number line and start every comparison at the hundreds. For 607 and 973, six hundreds is less than nine hundreds, so the answer is settled. Ask the child to identify the first unequal place and explain why digits farther right cannot change that result.
Can you show an example of comparing three-digit numbers?
Read the numbers from left to right, one place at a time. Stop when you find the first different digit: the number with the larger digit at that place is greater. If all three digits match, the numbers are equal. This routine works even when a number contains zero, as in 607.
What is included in this comparing numbers 3-digit worksheet pack?
The pack offers six practice sheets, each listing 15 three-digit pairs, with the matching comparisons supplied in its answer section. The 13-page document includes pairs such as 607 and 973, 862 and 871, and 220 and 220. Students have Name and Date lines on practice pages; the answer key is located on pages 8-13.
Is this comparing numbers 3-digit worksheet pack free?
Yes, it can be downloaded at no cost and without registering. The available file is a US Letter PDF; the pack does not list A4 or PNG formats. Its answer key takes up pages 8-13 of the 13-page document and gives the comparison signs for the six practice sets.
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