Comparison word problems involve interpreting two quantities as related by “more than,” “less than,” or an unknown difference, then determining the missing quantity or how many separate them. The relationship can be represented with drawings, aligned quantities, a number line, or an addition or subtraction equation, including cases where the unknown is the larger amount, smaller amount, or difference, with numbers within 20; multiplicative comparisons and larger-number generalizations are not included.
A comparison problem tells how two amounts are related. Look for words such as more, less, or how many separate.
Example:
Mia has 8 stickers. Leo has 5 stickers. How many more stickers does Mia have than Leo?
Find the two amounts.
Mia has . Leo has .
Find what is missing.
We need the difference—the number of stickers between and .
Subtract the smaller amount from the larger amount.
You can also check by adding:
So, the comparison is correct.
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