Home›Lesson Plans›Mathematics›Fractions & Decimals · Grade 4

Comparing Decimals: Tenths & Hundredths

Fourth graders learn to compare decimals to hundredths — lining up the decimal points and comparing place by place — discovering that 0.7 is much bigger than 0.07, and that 0.5 equals 0.50.

Grade 4Decimals50 minutes1 class periodGradual ReleaseExplicit teaching4 StandardsCommon Core
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Compare decimals to hundredths.
  • ✓Line up the decimal points.
  • ✓Compare place by place.
  • ✓Use >, <, and =.
Essential Question

Is 0.7 bigger than 0.07? They both have a 7! When numbers have decimals, how do you know which is greater?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Model · Interactive Tool

Which Decimal Is Bigger?

Project each item and have students compare the decimals. The tool explains how to compare place by place.

🔢 Compare the decimalsTry it
Compare each pair of decimals.
The Lesson · Gradual Release (I Do · We Do · You Do)

50 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Launch — Same 7, Different Size

5 min

0.7 and 0.07 both have a 7 — are they the same?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Show 0.7 and 0.07.
  • Ask which is bigger.
  • Set the goal: comparing decimals.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Read both.
  • Guess which is more.
  • Predict the method.
2

I Do — Line Up the Points

10 min

Teacher models.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Line up the decimal points.
  • Compare tenths, then hundredths.
  • Use place value.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Line them up.
  • Compare places.
  • Use place value.
3

We Do — Compare Together

13 min

Class uses Which Decimal Is Bigger?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Compare each pair.
  • Explain the deciding place.
  • Write >, <, or =.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Compare pairs.
  • Explain it.
  • Write the symbol.
4

You Do — On Your Own

12 min

Students compare.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Compare decimals.
  • Use a place-value chart.
  • Order decimals.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Compare them.
  • Use the chart.
  • Order them.
5

Close — Close

5 min

One comparison.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Give two decimals.
  • Compare them.
  • Hand out the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Compare them.
  • Explain it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.

CCSS
4.NF.7

Compare two decimals to hundredths by reasoning about their size.

CCSS
4.NF.6

Use decimal notation for fractions with denominators 10 or 100.

CCSS
4.NF.5

Express a fraction with denominator 10 as an equivalent fraction with denominator 100.

SMP
MP.7

Use place-value structure to compare decimals.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Use a place-value chart.
  • Sentence frame: “___ is bigger because ___.”
  • Model with grids.

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Compare tenths first.
  • Use decimal grids.
  • Line up the points.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Compare to thousandths.
  • Order several decimals.
  • Compare a decimal and a fraction.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Projector / board
  • 📐Decimal grids
  • 💻Which Decimal Is Bigger?
  • 📄Place-value charts
  • ✏️Pencils
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

decimala number with a decimal pointdecimal pointthe dot separating whole and partstenthsthe first place after the pointhundredthsthe second place after the pointplace valuewhat a digit is worthcomparesee which is biggerequivalentequal in valuegreater thanmore than (>)
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
Which is bigger: 0.4 or 0.40?
They are equal.
QUESTION 2
Which is bigger: 0.9 or 0.19?
0.9 (nine tenths is more than one tenth).
QUESTION 3
When comparing decimals, which place do you check first?
The tenths (the biggest place after the decimal point).

Going deeper? Order them.

Have students order several decimals from least to greatest by lining up the decimal points and comparing place by place. A printable decimals sheet is in the Math library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Comparing DecimalsFlip
Card 1
Term
Tap to flip →
Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Comparing DecimalsQuiz
Score: 0
1 / 6
Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Comparing DecimalsPrint
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: compare, decimal, decimal point, equivalent, greater than, hundredths, place value, tenths
  1. the dot separating whole and parts
  2. see which is bigger
  3. a number with a decimal point
  4. equal in value
  5. more than (>)
  6. the second place after the point
  7. what a digit is worth
  8. the first place after the point

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. Which is bigger: 0.4 or 0.40?
  2. Which is bigger: 0.9 or 0.19?
  3. When comparing decimals, which place do you check first?
Answer key — Part A: 1) decimal point · 2) compare · 3) decimal · 4) equivalent · 5) greater than · 6) hundredths · 7) place value · 8) tenths
Part B: 1) They are equal. 2) 0.9 (nine tenths is more than one tenth). 3) The tenths (the biggest place after the decimal point).