Comparing decimals using < > = and ordering sets of decimals from smallest to largest.
Where your child meets this in real life: Comparing race times, prices, or measurements to find the best option
Each SEAG paper has 28 maths questions. Questions 29 to 50 are multiple choice with five possible answers, and questions 51 to 56 need a short written answer. With 56 questions in 60 minutes across English and maths, that is about a minute per question.
SEAGReady breaks order and compare decimals into 3 steps, taught in order so each skill builds on the last.
Compare two decimals with the same number of decimal places using <, >, or =
Compare decimals with different numbers of decimal places by equalising decimal lengths
Order a set of 3-4 decimals from smallest to largest
Try three free questions from our order and compare decimals course. They start easy and get harder, so you can see where your child's confidence runs out. If they manage the last one without a hint, this topic is probably secure. If not, the steps above show where to start.
Rosie ran 100 metres in 0.35 minutes. Alice ran it in 0.42 minutes. Who ran faster? Compare 0.35 and 0.42 using < or >.
Kyle measured 0.4 litres of juice. Alfie measured 0.12 litres. Insert the correct symbol: 0.4 ? 0.12
Five runners finished with these times: A 0.9 min, B 0.89 min, C 0.99 min, D 0.8 min, E 0.98 min. Who came first, second and third?
This is the exact interactive worked example your child sees in SEAGReady. Step through it and watch the method build up.
Holly ran 100 metres in 0.48 minutes. Olivia ran it in 0.51 minutes.
Who ran faster? (Compare 0.48 and 0.51)
0.48 ? 0.51
Both decimals have 2 places, so line them up
Step 1 of 3
Holly ran 100 metres in 0.48 minutes. Olivia ran it in 0.51 minutes.
Who ran faster? (Compare 0.48 and 0.51)
Holly ran faster because 0.48 minutes is less than 0.51 minutes.
The key insight: Compare column by column from left to right - stop as soon as you find a difference!
Common mix-up: 0.48 > 0.51 because 8 hundredths is greater than 1 hundredth. This skips the tenths column. Compare from left to right: 4 tenths is less than 5 tenths, so there is no need to compare hundredths.
These are the misconceptions we see most often in order and compare decimals, including the ones our practice questions are specifically designed to catch.
Struggling with order and compare decimals? The real gap is often in one of these earlier topics.
Sitting the SEAG test this November? Read our last-month revision plan, Paper 1 vs Paper 2 and test day guide.
SEAGReady finds the exact step where your child gets stuck, teaches it with worked examples like the one above, and brings it back for review so it sticks.
Free to start · no card needed