Comparison of finite, nonnegative decimals through the thousandths place involves aligning digits by place value—ones, tenths, hundredths, and thousandths—and identifying the first place at which the values differ. Equivalent forms such as 0.7, 0.70, and 0.700 represent the same quantity, so the number of written digits does not determine size; this understanding supports ordering, measurement, and later work with decimal operations and rational numbers. At this level, comparison is limited to decimals with at most three decimal places.
To compare decimals, line up the digits by place value:
You may add zeros at the end of a decimal without changing its value. For example, .
Example: Compare and .
The first place where the digits differ is the hundredths place. Therefore,
Always compare place values from left to right. The first different digit determines which decimal is greater.
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