Compare Three-Digit Numbers
Compare each pair of three-digit numbers and match it to the symbol that makes it true — less than (<) or greater than (>). Look at the hundreds first, then the tens, then the ones to decide. Tap a comparison, then tap < or >, and watch the pair link. Aligned to Common Core 2.NBT.A.4 — comparing two three-digit numbers using the >, =, and < symbols, based on the value of the hundreds, tens, and ones.
Compare each pair of three-digit numbers and match it to the symbol that makes it true — less than (<) or greater than (>). Look at the hundreds first, then the tens, then the ones to decide. Tap a comparison, then tap < or >, and watch the pair link. Aligned to Common Core 2.NBT.A.4 — comparing two three-digit numbers using the >, =, and < symbols, based on the value of the hundreds, tens, and ones.
About this activity
Children read a comparison like 247 ___ 274 or 583 ___ 419, then match it to the symbol that makes it true — less than (<) or greater than (>) — by tapping the comparison card and then the right symbol. It's a free, interactive Grade 2 math card-matching game that plays right in the browser — no install, no account.
The big idea is to compare by place value, hundreds first. Pairs are chosen so children cannot rely on a quick glance: numbers like 655 and 658 share the same hundreds and tens, so the ones digit decides, while 480 and 408 force a look at the tens. Working left to right — hundreds, then tens, then ones — is exactly the reasoning the matching makes them practice.
It is aligned to Common Core 2.NBT.A.4 — comparing two three-digit numbers using >, =, and < based on the value of the hundreds, tens, and ones. No timer, no score — just calm, playful practice.
What's inside this activity
- Designed for Grade 2 learners (ages about 7–8)
- Common Core strand: Number & Operations in Base Ten
- Aligned to Common Core standard 2.NBT.A.4
How to play
Read a comparison card like 406 ___ 460 and decide which number is larger.
Tap the comparison, then tap the symbol — < or > — that makes it true, and watch the pair link.
Match both comparisons in the round — there is no timer and no score, so take your time.
What your child practices
- Compare three-digit numbers by looking at the hundreds, then the tens, then the ones
- Choose the correct symbol, < or >, to make a comparison true
- Tell apart close numbers like 655 and 658 by the deciding digit
- Read and reason about place value in numbers up to 1000
Learning goals
Compare two three-digit numbers using >, =, and < — the focus of Common Core 2.NBT.A.4
Use place value, hundreds first, to decide which number is greater
Build confident number sense with numbers up to 1000
Frequently asked questions
- What does the Compare Three-Digit Numbers activity teach?
- Compare Three-Digit Numbers is a free interactive activity for Grade 2, focused on Number & Operations in Base Ten. Children play it right in the browser — no printing, login, or setup required.
- Is Compare Three-Digit Numbers free to use?
- Yes. Compare Three-Digit Numbers is completely free, with no signup and no paywall, on any tablet, laptop, or classroom whiteboard.
- Which ages is this activity for?
- It is designed for Grade 2 (Number & Operations in Base Ten) and works well for whole-class, small-group, or independent practice.